The Role of Teachers' Beliefs and Knowledge in the Adoption of a Reform‐Based Curriculum

Science as inquiry is a key content standard in the National Science Education Standards; however, few secondary science teachers successfully and consistently implement inquiry‐based instruction in their classrooms. This research examines the role of reform‐based curricular materials in influencing the classroom practices of 12 high school chemistry teachers and investigates the role of the teachers' knowledge and beliefs in their implementation of the reform‐based chemistry curriculum. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected in the form of beliefs interviews and classroom observations. The teachers' classroom practices were measured prior to and during the field test of the reform‐based chemistry curriculum. Analysis of the data revealed that teachers' classroom practice became more reform‐based in the presence of the new curriculum; however, the degree of change is related to the teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning, depth of chemistry knowledge, and years of teaching experience. Experienced, out‐of‐discipline teachers with transitional or student‐centered teaching beliefs demonstrated the most growth in reform‐based teaching practices. This study reinforces the need for reform‐based curriculum to assist teachers in implementing the intent of the National Science Education Standards.     

Characterization of curriculum materials to support NGSS-aligned engineering instruction in chemistry teaching

Curriculum materials can play a major role in shaping teachers’ thinking about instruction and content as well as serve as a support for teachers’ learning. With the inclusion of engineering in NGSS, many teachers may be turning to existing curriculum materials to help them infuse engineering into their science classroom, especially when they do not have the time or opportunity for professional development sessions. In this study, we identified a sample of curriculum materials freely available online to chemistry teachers trying to incorporate engineering in the topics of stoichiometry and/or energy, common topics in secondary chemistry curricula. Using qualitative coding methods, we examined what this sample had to offer the chemistry teachers in the way of developing their understanding of engineering and teaching it. Our findings indicate that within our sample there are limited existing curriculum materials to support teachers’ engineering incorporation into secondary chemistry, and the support for teachers varied in terms of content and usefulness across the materials. The materials provided procedural information for activities but lacked in supports for teacher learning and student development beyond the procedure. Implications for the enactment of NGSS in secondary science along with needs for curriculum development and teacher learning are discussed.     

Beyond the professional development academy: Teachers' retention of discipline‐specific science content knowledge throughout a 3‐year mathematics and science partnership

The Teacher Academy in the Natural Sciences (TANS) provided middle school (U.S. Grades 6–8) teachers (N = 81) with intensive professional development (PD) in chemistry, geosciences, and physics, with teachers enrolled in one scientific discipline per year. Because some teachers were retained and rotated into different disciplines, the TANS program investigated retention of science content 1–2 years beyond an instructional year. All teacher participants exhibited significant gains (p < .001), in chemistry, geosciences, or physics content, between their incoming knowledge and the 10‐day summer academy's conclusion. Chemistry and geosciences content were retained until the end of the PD year. Physics participants reported a significant loss (p < .001), although gains from teachers' incoming knowledge were still significant. When retention was measured beyond the instructional year, only the geosciences content was retained. Chemistry and physics gains were not retained, with no significant differences between incoming teachers' knowledge and content 1–2 years post instruction. Our research indicates that science content support is needed after PD programs, and importantly, that the support differs between scientific disciplines.     

Teacher Mentoring as a Community Effort

This article presents the findings from a study of a mentoring program for novice mathematics and science teachers, which was provided by their teacher education program. This study reports the findings of interviews with novice math and science teachers, their mentors, and the mentoring program administrators to explore stakeholder perceptions of mentoring support. Findings suggest the importance of using multiple mentoring strategies to develop, support, and retain high‐quality math and science teachers in the teaching profession. This study contributes to what is known about the role that teacher education programs may play in mentoring novice math and science teachers who have graduated from their programs.     

On the content-dependence of prospective teachers’ knowledge: a case of exemplifying definitions

In this article, we demonstrate that prospective teachers’ content knowledge related to defining mathematical concepts is dependent on content area. We use the example of generation (a research tool we developed in a previous study) to investigate prospective teachers’ knowledge. We asked prospective secondary mathematics teachers to provide multiple examples of definitions of concepts from different areas of mathematics. We examined teacher-generated examples of concept definition and analysed individual and collective example spaces, focusing on their correctness and richness. We demonstrate differences in prospective teachers’ knowledge associated with defining mathematical concepts in geometry, algebra and calculus.     

The impact of integrated STEM modeling on elementary preservice teachers’ self‐efficacy for integrated STEM instruction: A co‐teaching approach

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the impact of co‐taught integrated STEM methods instruction on preservice elementary teachers’ self‐efficacy for teaching science and mathematics within an integrated STEM framework. Two instructional methods courses (Elementary Mathematics Methods and Elementary Science Methods) were redesigned to include STEM integration components, including STEM model lessons co‐taught by a mathematics and science educator, as well as a special education colleague. Quantitative data were gathered at three time points in the semester (beginning, middle, and end) from 55 preservice teachers examining teacher self‐efficacy for integrated STEM teaching. Qualitative data were gathered from a purposeful sample of seven preservice teachers to further understand preservice teachers’ perceptions on delivering integrated STEM instruction in an elementary setting. Quantitative results showed a significant increase in teacher self‐efficacy across all three time points. Item‐level analysis revealed that self‐efficacy for tasks involving engineering and assessment (both formative and summative) were low across time points, while self‐efficacy for tasks involving technology and flexibility were consistently high. Qualitative results revealed that the preservice teachers did not feel adequately prepared by university‐level science and mathematics courses, in terms of content knowledge and integration of science and mathematics for elementary students.     

What Is a Fraction? Developing Fraction Understanding in Prospective Elementary Teachers

Classroom teachers need a well‐developed deep understanding of fractions and pedagogic practices so they can provide meaningful experiences for students to explore and construct ideas about fractions. This study sought to examine prospective elementary teachers' understandings of fraction by focusing specifically on their use of fractions meanings and interpretations. Results indicated that prospective elementary teachers bring with them to their final methods course a limited understanding of fractions and that experiences in methods courses resulted only in minor improvement of those limited understandings. The limited part‐whole understanding of fractions that prospective elementary teachers entered the course with was resilient. The implications of this study suggest a need for prospective elementary teachers to continue to develop their conceptual understanding of fractions and for changes to the content and instructional strategies of mathematics content courses designed for prospective elementary teachers.     

The challenges facing initial teacher education: Irish prospective elementary teachers’ mathematics subject matter knowledge

Given the acknowledged relationship between teachers’ knowledge, their teaching and pupil learning, teachers’ mathematics subject matter knowledge (MSMK) has received increased attention internationally. As children's early mathematics experiences have been recognized as a critical stage, elementary teachers’ MSMK has become a focal point among researchers and policy makers alike. International research findings have uncovered that in many cases, there is a mismatch between what is perceived to be an appropriate MSMK for teaching elementary mathematics and that demonstrated by many qualified and prospective elementary teachers. Following repeated incidences of weak MSMK during interactions with prospective elementary teachers in one Irish College of Education (provider of initial teacher education programme for elementary teachers), this study sought to examine and address the issue purposefully through two cycles of action research. This article focuses on the data collected prospective teachers’ MSMK in the initial stage (reconnaissance) of these cycles, i.e. pre-test findings. While considerable differences were evident among the pre-test population, the findings suggest that prior to the intervention stage many participating prospective teachers; regardless of previous mathematics achievements or the level of mathematics study; demonstrate weaknesses and gaps in their ‘common’ MSMK. Particular difficulties were evident in relation to pre-test items requiring knowledge of rational numbers, conceptual understanding or problem solving. These findings highlight the inadequacy of previous mathematics achievements and indeed minimum entry requirements as predictors of MSMK for teaching. As well as its contribution at a local and national level, the findings provide an Irish perspective on this international issue.     

Peer‐coaching as a component of a professional development model for biology teachers

To increase the likelihood for continuous growth and improvement, professional development for high school biology teachers should include long‐term, targeted instruction with an accompanying peer‐coaching component. This study examined the views of biology teachers who were engaged in a two‐year professional development program, which included a strong peer‐coaching component. With an overall goal of enhancing the teachers’ instructional practices, the peer‐coaches and teachers collaborated to increase the amount of inquiry in the science classroom. Data were collected using focus groups and researcher notes. Emergent themes included the significance of relationships, importance of teacher commitment, and resulting change and growth in educators.     

Mathematical Modeling for Preservice Teachers: A Problem from Anesthesiology

The study reported in this article deals with the observed actions of prospective Swedish mathematics teachers as they were working with a modeling situation. These prospective teachers were preparing to teach in Grades 4 to9 or in the gymnasium (Grades 10 to 12) and were students in a course in mathematical modeling. The larger study of which this study was a part focused on these students' understanding of modeling and how they related mathematical models to the real world. This article also attempts to illustrate how mathematics is intertwined with many other subjects, in this case medicine. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Assessing the Ability of an Online Environment to Facilitate the Critical Features of Teacher Professional Development

Providing teachers effective professional development (PD) is an ongoing challenge in the field of education. Emergence of technological innovations in the form of computer‐based asynchronous and synchronous communication has provided new opportunities to improve and expand teacher PD opportunities beyond the physical walls of a school. The purpose of this meta‐analysis is to examine the ability of online learning environments to facilitate the critical features of teacher PD identified in Desimone (2009) as content focus, active learning, coherence, duration, and collective participation. Analysis of the 20 empirical studies sought to reveal the purpose of the study, methodologies utilized, and major findings. Multiple studies indicated the ability of an online environment to engage teachers in active learning, collective participation, and content‐focused learning activities. Additionally, the results of this meta‐analysis revealed a lack of empirical studies that have examined the ability of online teacher PD to support the critical features of coherence and duration. Findings of this research have implications for a future research agenda and policy considerations related to online teacher PD initiatives.     

Prospective and current secondary mathematics teachers’ criteria for evaluating mathematical cognitive technologies

As technology becomes more ubiquitous in the mathematics classroom, teachers are being asked to incorporate it into their lessons more than ever before. The amount of resources available online is staggering and teachers need to be able to analyse and identify resources that would be most appropriate and effective with their students. This study examines the criteria prospective and current secondary mathematics teachers use and value most when evaluating mathematical cognitive technologies (MCTs). Results indicate all groups of participants developed criteria focused on how well an MCT represents the mathematics, student interaction and engagement with the MCT, and whether the MCT was user-friendly. However, none of their criteria focused on how well an MCT would reflect students’ solution strategies or illuminate their thinking. In addition, there were some differences between the criteria created by participants with and without teaching experience, specifically the types of supports available in an MCT. Implications for mathematics teacher educators are discussed.     

“Beyond an acronym,STEM is…”: Perceptions of STEM

Although STEM is at the forefront of many educational initiatives, little is known about various professionals’ perceptions of STEM. This mixed‐methods study surveyed 164 preservice teachers, inservice teachers, administrators, informal educators, and STEM professionals. Quantitative and qualitative questions on the survey elicited participants’ perceptions of STEM, STEM support, and STEM careers. Quantitative analysis revealed that profession influenced understandings of STEM, importance of STEM, support for STEM, and perceptions of STEM career opportunities. Qualitative analysis provided rich explanations for the differences in perceptions among professions. This study suggests that science teacher educators need to ensure preservice teachers have understandings of STEM and STEM careers, K‐16 educators need to emphasize the current importance of STEM, and administrators and policymakers need to align visions of STEM with curriculum and pacing guides so teachers feel supported in their STEM endeavors.     

Knowing more than their students: Characterizing secondary science teachers’ subject matter knowledge

Despite agreement among teacher educators, scholars, and policymakers on the importance of teachers’ subject matter knowledge (SMK), existing models provide limited information about the nature of this foundational component of teacher knowledge. The common assumption is that teachers need to know more about the science subject matter than their students are expected to learn, but what and how much more is underspecified. In order to more characterize science teachers’ SMK, we present the science knowledge for teaching (SKT) model, which has been adapted from the mathematics education literature to apply to science education. The SKT model includes three domains: core content knowledge, specialized content knowledge, and linked content knowledge. We used this model to explore the SMK new secondary chemistry teachers in South Africa and the United States drew on when they explained the conservation of mass and analyzed a related teaching scenario, two important tasks of teaching. Findings indicated these new teachers drew on knowledge from all three SKT domains in order to engage in these tasks of teaching. This result suggests the potential of the SKT model to characterize the nature of science teachers’ SMK and thereby better inform teacher preparation and professional development programs.     

Models are a “metaphor in your brain”: How potential and preservice teachers understand the science and engineering practice of modeling

We investigated beginning secondary science teachers’ understandings of the science and engineering practice of developing and using models. Our study was situated in a scholarship program that served two groups: undergraduate STEM majors interested in teaching, or potential teachers, and graduate students enrolled in a teacher education program to earn their credentials, or preservice teachers. The two groups completed intensive practicum experiences in STEM‐focused academies within two public high schools. We conducted a series of interviews with each participant and used grade‐level competencies outlined in the Next Generation Science Standards to analyze their understanding of the practice of developing and using models. We found that potential and preservice teachers understood this practice in ways that both aligned and did not align with the NGSS and that their understandings varied across the two groups and the two practicum contexts. In our implications, we recommend that teacher educators recognize and build from the various ways potential and preservice teachers understand this complex practice to improve its implementation in science classrooms. Further, we recommend that a variety of practicum contexts may help beginning teachers develop a greater breadth of understanding about the practice of developing and using models.     

Conditions and decisions of urban elementary teachers regarding instruction of STEM curriculum

The study was situated in a National Science Foundation supported Math Science Partnership between a private university and an urban school district. This study sought to understand the decision‐making process of elementary teachers as they implement an integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum in their classrooms and the interactions that occur between the teachers and curriculum during that process. This qualitative study utilized a comparative case study approach to understanding the decision‐making process of three elementary teachers enacting the same lesson. Analysis of the interactions revealed that the teachers' perceptions of student ability, their pedagogical design capacity, and time were influences that impacted implementation. These findings have implications for STEM‐focused professional development of elementary teachers.     

Prospective Teachers' Perspectives on Mathematics Teaching and Learning: Lens for Interpreting Experiences in a Standards‐Based Mathematics Course

In a mathematics course for prospective elementary teachers, we strove to model standards‐based pedagogy. However, an end‐of‐class reflection revealed the prospective teachers were considering incorporating standards‐based strategies in their future classrooms in ways different from our intent. Thus, we drew upon the framework presented by Simon, Tzur, Heinz, Kinzel, and Smith to examine the prospective teachers' perspectives on mathematics teaching and learning and to address two research questions. What perspectives on the learning and teaching of mathematics do prospective elementary teachers hold? How do their perspectives impact their perception of standards‐based instruction in a mathematics course and their future teaching plans? Qualitative analyses of reflections from 106 prospective teachers revealed that they viewed mathematics as a logical domain representative of an objective reality. Their instructional preferences included providing firsthand opportunities for elementary students to perceive mathematics. They did not take into account the impact of a student's conceptions upon what is learned. Thus, the prospective teachers plan to incorporate standards‐based strategies to provide active experiences for their future elementary students, but they fail to base such strategies upon students' current mathematical conceptions. Throughout, the need to address prospective teachers' underlying perspectives of mathematics teaching and learning is stressed.     

Making Connections: Elementary Teachers' Construction of Division Word Problems and Representations

If teachers make few connections among multiple representations of division, supporting students in using representations to develop operation sense demanded by national standards will not occur. Studies have investigated how prospective and practicing teachers use representations to develop knowledge of fraction division. However, few studies examined primary (K‐3) teachers' learning of contextual division problems, making connections among representations of division, and resolving the ambiguity of representing quotients with remainders. A written post‐course assessment provided evidence that most teachers created partitive division word problems, used a set model without splitting the remainder, and wrote equations with limited success. Post‐course written reflections demonstrated that many teachers developed pedagogical knowledge for helping students make connections among multiple representations, and mathematical knowledge of unit fractions. These findings suggest two areas that have implications for mathematics teacher educators who design professional development courses to facilitate teachers' learning of mathematical content and pedagogical knowledge of division and fraction relationships.     

Next Generation Science Standards: A National Mixed‐Methods Study on Teacher Readiness

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) science and engineering practices are ways of eliciting the reasoning and applying foundational ideas in science. As research has revealed barriers to states and schools adopting the NGSS, this mixed‐methods study attempts to identify characteristics of professional development (PD) that will support NGSS adoption and to improve teacher readiness. In‐service science teachers from across the nation were targeted for the survey and responses represented 38 states. Research questions included: How motivated and prepared are in‐service 7–12 teachers to use NGSS science and engineering practices? What is the profile of 7–12 in‐service teachers who are motivated and feel prepared to use NGSS science and engineering practices? The study revealed that teachers identified engineering most frequently as a PD need to improve their NGSS readiness. High school teachers rated themselves as more prepared than middle school and all teachers who use Modeling Instruction expressed higher NGSS readiness. These findings and their specificity contribute to current knowledge, and can be utilized by districts in selecting PD to support teachers in preparing to implement the NGSS successfully.     

Prospective Elementary Teachers' Perceptions of Gender Differences in Children's Attitudes Toward Mathematics

Prospective elementary teachers hold preconceived ideas about elementary school students' attitudes toward mathematics. We found that there exists a gender bias with prospective teachers expecting girls to have negative attitudes toward mathematics and boys more likely to have positive attitudes toward mathematics. We found that these expectations exist for both prospective teachers in a traditional undergraduate degree program and prospective teachers in an alternative licensure graduate degree program. We also found that these expectations do change with the completion of a mathematics methods course and classroom experiences.