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In this program, faculty modeled lower-level inquiry-oriented instruction focused on short laboratory sessions with limited lecturing and no definitions of terms. It often consists mostly of one-day (or shorter) workshops focusing on how-to activities that are unlikely to challenge teachers beliefs about teaching and learning that support their current practice (DeSimone, Garet, Birman, Porter, and Yoon, 2003). Focusing laboratory experiences on clear learning goals requires that teachers understand assessment methods so they can measure and guide their students progress toward those goals. Fraser and K.G. However, it also reveals some gaps in the . This timely book investigates factors that influence a high school laboratory experience, looking closely at what currently takes place and what the goals of those experiences are and should be. A study of a much smaller sample of teachers yielded similar findings (Catley, 2004). Davis, and P. Bell (Eds. In a case study of his experience, this professor called for reducing science teachers class loads so they have more time to reflect on and improve their own practice. Welcome to the Science Education Partnership. Gamoran, A., Anderson, C.W., Quiroz, P.A., Seceda, W.G., Williams, T., and Ashmann, S. (2003). What does research tell us about learning in high school science labs? Ingersoll, R. (2003). Only a few high school students are sufficiently advanced in their knowledge of science to serve as an effective scientific community in formulating such questions. Using questioning to guide student thinking. Paper prepared for the Committee on High School Science Laboratories: Role and Vision, July 12-13, National Research Council, Washington, DC. Expertise in science alone also does not ensure that teachers will be able to anticipate which concepts will pose the greatest difficulty for students and design instruction accordingly. Seattle: Author. Bruner, J. Presentation to the Committee on High School Science Laboratories: Role and Vision, July 12-13, National Research Council, Washington, DC. Seeking more effective outcomes from science laboratory experiences (Grades 7-14): Six companion studies. You will need to develop your own teaching style, your own way of interacting with students, and your own set of actions that determine the learning atmosphere of the classroom. DeSimone, L.M., Garet, M., Birman, B., Porter, A., and Yoon, K. (2003). The traditional didactic pedagogy to which teacher candidates are exposed in university science courses equips learners with only minimal conceptual understandings of their science disciplines (Duschl, 1983; Gallagher, 1991; Pomeroy, 1993, cited in Windschitl, 2004). The teachers ability to use sophisticated questioning techniques to bring about productive student-student and student-teacher discussions in all phases of the laboratory activity is a key factor in the extent to which the activity attains its goals (Minstrell and Van Zee, 2003). (1989). It may also be because teachers lack the content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, general pedagogical knowledge, and knowledge of assessment required to lead such discussions (Maienschein, 2004; Windschitl, 2004). You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Raleigh: Science House, North Carolina State University. The effects of instruction on college nonmajors conceptions of respiration and photosynthesis. As we have discussed, teachers face an ongoing tension between allowing students greater autonomy in the laboratory and guiding them toward accepted scientific knowledge. Committee on High School Biology Education, Commission on Life Sciences. ), International handbook of science education (pp. However, their study was criticized for being conducted in laboratory environment (Taylor, Ntoumanis, . (Working Paper No. The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory has provided professional development programs for science teachers for several years (Javonovic and King, 1998). take place in a school laboratory, but could also occur in an out-of-school setting, such as the student's home or in the field (e.g. The role of the laboratory in science teaching: Neglected aspects of research. Chapel Hill, NC: Horizon Research. Participant teachers were also interviewed. One study found that, when laboratories were easily accessible, 14- and 15-year-old students who used the facilities during their free time reported increased interest in academics and took advanced science courses (Henderson and Mapp, 2002). In 2000, according to a nationally representative survey of science teachers, most school administrators provided inadequate time for shared planning and reflection to improve instruction. Cognition and Instruction, 15(4), 485-529. Smith, P.S., Banilower, E.R., McMahon, K.C., and Weiss, I.R. However, the undergraduate education of future science teachers does not currently prepare them for effective laboratory teaching. Looking inside the classroom: A study of K-12 mathematics and science education in the United States. Research conducted in teacher education programs provides some evidence of the quality of preservice science education (Windschitl, 2004). The laboratory has been given a central and distinctive role in science education, and science educators have suggested that there are rich benefits in learning from using laboratory activities. (1997). Erroneous ideas about respiration: The teacher factor. The main role of a teaching assistant is to provide support to the course instructor to ensure the effective delivery of the required materials and to foster a positive learning environment. National Research Council. Marjolein Dobber a. , Rosanne Zwart b. , Marijn Tanis a b 1. , Bert van Oers a. The distinction between key ideas in teaching school physics and key ideas in the discipline of physics. Currently, few teachers lead this type of sense-making discussion (Smith, Banilower, McMahon, and Weiss, 2002). To make these choices, they must be aware not only of their own capabilities, but also of students needs and readiness to engage in the various types of laboratory experiences. the photo below). The paraprofessional would help with setup, cleanup, community contacts, searching for resources, and other types of support (National Science Teachers Association, 1990). In many cases teachers ranked in-service training as their least effective source of learning (Windschitl, 2004, p. 16; emphasis in original). Educational Policy, 14(3), 331-356. Organizational conditions that support inquiry in high school science instruction. Learning to teach inquiry science in a technology-based environment: A case study. Despite the weakness of current professional development for laboratory teaching, a growing body of research indicates that it is possible to develop and implement professional development that would support improved laboratory teaching and learning. These changes persisted several years after the teachers concluded their professional development experiences.. Hudson, S.B., McMahon, K.C., and Overstreet, C.M. When students have more freedom to pose questions or to identify and carry out procedures, they require greater guidance to ensure that their laboratory activities help them to master science subject matter and progress toward the other goals of laboratory experiences. 357-382). The condition of education. Statistical analysis report. This lack of discussion may be due to the fact that high school science teachers depend heavily on the use of textbooks and accompanying laboratory manuals (Smith et al., 2002), which rarely include discussions. Goldhaber, D.D., and Brewer, D.J. surveys defined poor administrative support as including a lack of recognition and support from administration and a lack of resources and material and equipment for the classroom. Mortimer, E., and Scott, P. (2003). What can they contribute to science learning? For example, teachers realized that there is no unique method called the scientific method, after comparing the methods used in different labs, such as a biochemistry lab, engineering lab, and zoos. He suggests that a high school physics teacher should know concepts or principles to emphasize when introducing high school students to a particular topic (p. 264). Large majorities of students indicated that the program had increased their interest in science, while large majorities of teachers said they would recommend the program to other teachers and that the volunteers had had a beneficial effect on their science teaching. Currently, teachers rarely provide opportunities for students to participate in formulating questions to be addressed in the laboratory. (2002). Available at: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/June_3-4_2004_High_School_Labs_Meeting_Agenda.html [accessed May 2005]. Coffey, Everyday assessment in the science classroom (pp. 1. 9-13 Thus, medical laboratory professionals can be key members of the interprofessional health care team. Khalic, A., and Lederman, N. (2000). It may be useful, however, to begin . They should be proactive in every aspect of laboratory safety, making safety a priority. Clearly, their preservice experiences do not provide the skills and knowledge needed to select and effectively carry out laboratory experiences that are appropriate for reaching specific science learning goals for a given group of students. It is unclear whether these and other ad hoc efforts to provide summer research experiences reach the majority of high school science teachers. The actual crime scene processing takes place in one day and the entire project can take up to 7 depending on your schedule. The teachers skills in posing questions and leading discussions affect students ability to build meaning from their laboratory experiences. In an ideal world, administrators would provide adequate laboratory space and time to allow students to continue investigations over several weeks or months, and they would also provide time for students to work outside regular school hours. They felt confident to guide their students through the same process, where there is no right answer.. Building on existing teacher internship programs at several of the national laboratories, the program will engage teachers as summer research associates at the laboratories, beginning with a four-week stint the first summer, followed by shorter two-week internships the following two summers (U.S. Department of Energy, 2004). National Center for Education Statistics. Using questioning to assess and foster student thinking. The organization and structure of most high schools impede teachers and administrators ongoing learning about science instruction and the implementation of quality laboratory experiences. U.S. Department of Education. develop and implement comprehensive safety policies with clear procedures for engaging in lab activities; ensure that these policies comply with all applicable local, state, and federal health and safety codes, regulations, ordinances, and other rules established by the applicable oversight organization, including the Occupational Safety & Health Educating teachers of science, mathematics, and technology. Emerging issues and practices in science assessment. To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter. Qualifications of the public school teacher workforce: Prevalence of out-of-field teaching 1987-88 to 1999-2000. The Chemistry Department of City College (City University of New York) places undergraduate science and engineering majors in middle school classrooms to assist teachers during laboratory activities and learn classroom management from the teachers. Driver, R. (1995). Olsen, T.P., Hewson, P.W., and Lyons, L. (1996). The institute included a blend of modeling, small group work, cooperative learning activities, and theoretical and research-based suggestions (p. 122). In B.J. The laboratory science teacher professional development program. This is not a simple task (National Research Council, 2001b, p. 79): To accurately gauge student understanding requires that teachers engage in questioning and listen carefully to student responses. However, experts do not agree on which aspects of teacher qualitysuch as having an academic major in the subject taught, holding a state teaching certificate, having a certain number of years of teaching experience, or other unknown factorscontribute to their students academic achievement (Darling-Hammond, Berry, and Thoreson, 2001; Goldhaber and Brewer, 2001). Hofstein, A., and Lunetta, V.N. They also face uncertainty about how many variables students should struggle with and how much to narrow the context and procedures of the investigation. Chapel Hill, NC: Horizon Research. These limits, in turn, could contribute to lower science achievement, especially among poor and minority students. (1997). A focus on deepening teachers knowledge of science or mathematics. The National Research Council (NRC) Committee on Science and Mathematics Teacher preparation stated that studies conducted over the past quarter century increasingly point to a strong correlation between student achievement in K-12 science and mathematics and the teaching quality and level of knowledge of K-12 teachers of science and mathematics (National Research Council, 2001a, p. 4). Because many current science teachers have demographic backgrounds different from their students (Lee, 2002; Lynch, Kuipers, Pyke, and Szeze, in press), the ability to communicate across barriers of language and culture is. van Zee, E., and Minstrell, J. Why staying ahead one chapter doesnt really work: Subject-specific pedagogy. thus expanding the teaching or training role; sometimes they are excluded purposely, such as in the case of France, where teachers are only responsible for the actual instruction and the remainder of . Associations of science teachers have taken differing positions on how administrators can best support teachers in preparing for and cleaning up after laboratory experiences. Sign up for email notifications and we'll let you know about new publications in your areas of interest when they're released. Some school and school district officials may be reluctant to invest in sustained professional development for science teachers because they fear losing their investments if trained teachers leave for other jobs. Data from the 2000 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education. We then go on to describe approaches to supporting teachers and improving their capacity to lead laboratory experiences through improvements in professional development and use of time. Sanders, M. (1993). They must consider how to clearly communicate the learning goals of the laboratory experience to their students. Enforcing laboratory rules . Since the 19th century, when schools began to teach science systematically, the laboratory has become a distinctive feature of chemistry learning. To determine the current role of laboratory schools in the United States, the 123 existing laboratory schools were surveyed. University researchers inchoate critiques of science teaching: Implications for the content of pre-service science teacher education. This professional development institute also incorporated ongoing opportunities for discussion and reflection. Teachers require a deep understanding of scientific processes in order to guide students procedures and formulation of research questions, as well as deep understanding of science concepts in order to guide them toward subject matter understanding and other learning goals. They need to carefully consider written work and what they observe while students engage in projects and investigations. To lead effective laboratory experiences, science teachers should know how to use data from all of these assessment methods in order to reflect on student progress and make informed decisions about which laboratory activities and teaching approaches to change, retain, or discard (National Research Council, 2001b; Volkman and Abell, 2003). Atkin, P. Black, and J. Coffey (Eds.). Other studies indicate that high-quality professional development can encourage and support science teachers in leading a full range of laboratory experiences that allow students to participate actively in formulating research questions and in designing and carrying out investigations (Windschitl, 2004). Laboratory experiments Haase, B.S. Respecting childrens own ideas. Establishing classroom, lab, and field trip rules and regulations and ensuring that . New York: Teachers College Press. Glagovich, N., and Swierczynski, A. In reviewing the state of biology education in 1990, an NRC committee concluded that few teachers had the knowledge or skill to lead effective laboratory experiences and recommended that major new programs should be developed for providing in-service education on laboratory activities (National Research Council, 1990, p. 34). For example, in developing the Computers as Learning Partners science curriculum unit, Linn and colleagues researched how well models of thermodynamics at various levels of abstraction supported students learning. This paper explores the role of laboratory and field-based research experiences in secondary science education by summarizing research documenting how such activities promote science learning. However, an analysis of national survey data indicates that teachers in block schedules do not incorporate more laboratory experiences into their instruction (Smith, 2004). The study examined the relationship between professional development and teaching practice in terms of three specific instructional practices: (1) the use of technology, (2) the use of higher order instructional methods, and (3) the use of alternative assessment. Bayer Corporation. They further report (Lederman, 2004, p. 8): By observing practicing scientists and writing up their reflections, teachers gained insight into what scientists do in various research areas, such as crystallization, vascular tissue engineering, thermal processing of materials, nutrition, biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, protein purification and genetics. Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Pre-service biology teachers knowledge structures as a function of professional teacher education: A year-long assessment. Laboratories in science education: Understanding the history and nature of science. Lee and Fradd (1998) and others observe that some scientific values and attitudes are found in most cultures (e.g., wonder, interest, diligence, persistence, imagination, respect toward nature); others are more characteristic of Western science. (2004). Examining the effects of a highly rated curriculum unit on diverse students: Results from a planning grant. One study found that having an advanced degree in science was associated with increased student science learning from the 8th to the 10th grade (Goldhaber and Brewer, 1997). Beyond process. Gamoran and colleagues found that, although the educational researchers provided an infusion of expertise from outside each of the six school sites, the professional development created in collaboration with the local schools had its greatest impact in supporting local teachers in developing their own communities. Do you enjoy reading reports from the Academies online for free? Journal of Science Teacher Education, 6(2), 120-124. Baumgartner, E. (2004). Seattle: University of Washington, Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy. London, England: Kluwer Academic. For example, among high school teachers who had participated in professional development aimed at learning to use inquiry-oriented teaching strategies, 25 percent indicated that this professional development had little or no impact, and 48 percent reported that the professional development merely confirmed what they were already doing. McComas and Colburn (1995) established an inservice program called Laboratory Learning: An Inservice Institute, which incorporated some of the design elements that support student learning in laboratory experiences. Specifically, it challenges the assumption that having a college degree in science, by itself, is sufficient to teach high school science. Designing professional development for teachers of science and mathematics. Research on teachers using a science curriculum that integrates laboratory experiences into the stream of instruction indicates that repeated practice with such a curriculum, as well as time for collaboration and reflection with professional colleagues, leads teachers to shift from focusing on laboratory procedures to focusing on science learning goals (Williams, Linn, Ammon, and Gearheart, 2004). Chemistry laboratories play an essential role in the education of undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and non-STEM students. It aims to support teachers to improve their teaching skills for active learning in university science laboratory courses. 13-Week Science Methodology Course. Sanders, W.L., and Rivers, J.C. (1996). This earlier research indicated that, just as engaging students in laboratory experiences in isolation led to little or no increase in their understanding of the nature of science, engaging prospective or current science teachers in laboratory activities led to little or no increase in their understanding of the nature of science. Catley (2004) reports that having gone through the process of frustration, false starts and the elation of completion, [the teachers] came away with a deeper understanding of how inquiry works and a sense of empowerment. He enrolled at the University of the Free State in 1980 and obtained a BSc degree in Mathematics and Physics, as well as a Higher Education Diploma. Available at: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/July_12-13_2004_High_School_Labs_Meeting_Agenda.html [accessed May 2005].