Teacher's reflections on experimenting with technology-enriched inquiry-based mathematics teaching with a preplanned teaching unit

According to previous studies, inquiry-based mathematics teaching enhances learning. However, teachers need support in implementing this type of teaching. In this study, a high school teacher was given a short preplanned inquiry-based mathematics teaching unit that included activities with GeoGebra. The teacher was interviewed after every lesson to explore her reflections after teaching. I analyzed how the teacher described the differences between her regular teaching style and the teaching unit and the pros and cons of the teaching unit. The teacher reflected on the roles of the teacher and students, depth of students’ knowledge, her stance toward the teaching unit, constraints for using this type of teaching approach, and challenges in guiding the students. The results give insights to what kind of reflections on technology-enriched inquiry-based mathematics teaching it is possible to initiate with short preplanned teaching units.     

Learning to teach science in urban schools: Context as content

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how science teachers who persisted in urban schools interpreted and responded to the unique features of urban educational contexts. With 17 alumni who taught in metropolitan areas across seven states, the Science Educators for Urban Schools (SEUS) program provided a research setting that offered a unique view of science teachers’ development of knowledge of urban education contexts. Data sources included narratives of teaching experiences from interviews and open‐ended survey items. Findings were interpreted in light of context knowledge for urban educational settings. Findings indicated that science teaching in urban contexts was impacted by the education policy context, notably through accountability policies that narrowed and marginalized science instruction; community context, evident in teacher efforts to make science more relevant to students; and school contexts, notability their ability to creatively adjust for resource deficiencies and continue their own professional growth. Participants utilized this context knowledge to transform student opportunities to learn science. The study suggests that future science education research and teacher preparation efforts would benefit from further attention to the unique elements of urban contexts, specifically the out of classroom contexts that shape science teaching and learning.     

Construction of Teacher Knowledge in Context: Preparing Elementary Teachers to Teach Mathematics and Science

The purpose of this study was to further the understanding of how preservice teachers construct teacher knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge of elementary mathematics and science in a school‐based setting and the extent of knowledge construction. Evidence of knowledge construction (its acquisition, its dimensions, and the social context) was collected through the use of a qualitative methodology. The methods course was content‐specific with instruction in elementary mathematics and science. Learning experiences were based on national standards with a constructivist instructional approach and immediate access to field experiences. Analysis and synthesis of data revealed an extensive acquisition of teacher knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. Learning venues were discovered to be the conduits of learning in a situated learning context. As in this study, content‐specific, school‐based experiences may afford preservice teachers greater opportunities to focus on content and instructional strategies at deeper levels; to address anxieties typically associated with the teaching of elementary mathematics and science; and to become more confident and competent teachers. Gains in positive attitudes and confidence in teaching mathematics and science were identified as direct results of this experience.     

Cultivating Culture: Preparing Future Teachers for Diversity Through Family Science Learning Events

Preservice teachers (PSTs) participated in Family Science Learning Events (FSLEs) at a university designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution. PSTs were required by the instructor to conceive and design culturally relevant science activities as well as implement these activities with K‐8 students and their families during three separate FSLEs each semester. After school venues included elementary and middle schools located in ethnically diverse school districts. Data collected from these future teachers included qualitative PST reflections, lesson plans, project board/activity evaluation by peers, and a quantitative survey instrument (modified SEBEST) to assess PSTs perceptions of teaching diverse learners. Results suggest that using FSLEs as an integral component of teacher preparation can be a powerful facilitator of learning for all involved, increasing excitement for learning, confidence in using culturally relevant activities and valuable experience in working with family members, particularly Hispanics. In addition, using culturally relevant science activities deepened content knowledge and gave PSTs the opportunity to use culturally responsive activities with Hispanic students and their families, increasing feelings of self‐efficacy in science teaching with diverse learners.     

Analysis of Environmental and General Science Teaching Efficacy Among Instructors with Contrasting Class Ethnicity Distributions: A Four‐Dimensional Assessment

The context and nature of teacher efficacy beliefs provide a method upon which to explore science teachers' perceptions of their teaching effectiveness and student achievement as a function of ethnicity. Promotion of a more in‐depth knowledge of science teaching efficacy requires cross‐sectional and longitudinal investigations. In this study, a bi‐disciplinary four‐dimensional assessment is utilized to measure personal teacher efficacy, outcome expectancy, classroom management (CM), and student engagement (SE). Major findings from this study conclude that science teaching efficacy was markedly lower for science teachers with high minority class ethnicity distribution (CED) when compared with efficacy levels of teachers with high nonminority CED. Additionally, when examining efficacy dimensions separately, markedly lower mean efficacy dimension responses were consistent for teachers with high minority CED; however, only CM and SE were considered statistically different. Results were consistent for both the environmental and general science disciplines.     

Learning to Teach Inquiry: A Beginning Science Teacher of English Language Learners

Early career science teachers are often assigned to classrooms with high numbers of English language learners (ELLs). For the underprepared early career science teacher, these circumstances are challenging. This study examines the changes in beliefs and practices of an early career science teacher who taught high numbers of ELLs in an urban setting. Victoria participated in the Alternative Support for Induction Science Teachers (ASIST) program during her initial two years of teaching. Our research team followed her over a three‐year period, and the data collected included classroom observations and interviews about her beliefs and practices. In addition, documents such as teacher evaluations and classroom artifacts were collected periodically for the purpose of triangulation. The analysis of the data revealed that with the support of the ASIST program, Victoria implemented inquiry lessons and utilized instructional materials that promoted language and science competencies for her ELLs. Conversely, standardized testing and her teaching assignment played a role in constraining the implementation of inquiry‐based practices. The results of this study call for collaborative efforts between university science educators and school administrators to provide professional development opportunities and support to build the capacity of early career science teachers of ELLs.     

Standards for professionalization of mathematics teachers: policy, curricula, and national teacher employment test in Korea

International comparative studies such as the Trend in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) indicate that Korean students have consistently performed well. In addition, a recent study titled Mathematics Teaching in the 21st Century (MT21) compared prospective teachers’ knowledge and beliefs about teaching and learning in six participant countries, reporting that Korean prospective secondary mathematics teachers were better prepared than those in other countries. In this context, this study has examined the curricula for mathematics teacher education and teacher employment tests in order to investigate the social expectation for teacher professionalization in Korea, particularly focusing on teacher knowledge. The analysis shows that while elementary mathematics teacher education emphasizes pedagogical knowledge, the secondary mathematics education curricula are highly content knowledge oriented. However, the secondary mathematics teacher education includes various aspects of pedagogical content knowledge in its curricula and teacher employment test. This research also identifies the discourse concerning mathematics instruction for diversity and equity and the emphasis of reflective practice as the significant development of the current Korean teacher education.     

A teacher’s learning process in dual design research: learning to scaffold language in a multilingual mathematics classroom

In this paper, we argue that dual design research (DDR) is a fruitful way to promote and trace the development of a mathematics teacher’s expertise. We address the question of how a teacher participating in dual design research can learn to scaffold students’ development of the language required for mathematical learning in multilingual classrooms. Empirical data were collected from two teaching experiments (each with 8 lessons, and 21 and 22 students, aged 11–12 years), for which lesson series about line graphs were co-designed by the researchers and the teacher. The teacher’s learning process was promoted (e.g. by conducting stimulated recall interviews and providing feedback) and traced (e.g. by carrying out 5 pre- and post-interviews before and after the teaching experiments). An analytic framework for teachers’ reported and derived learning outcomes was used to analyse pre- and post-interviews. The teacher’s learning process was analysed in terms of changes in knowledge and beliefs, changes in practice and intentions for practice. Further analysis showed that this learning process could be attributed to the characteristics of dual design research, for instance the cyclic and interventionist character, the continuous process of prediction and reflection that lies at its heart, and the process of co-designing complemented with stimulated recall interviews.     

The Border Crossings of a Multicultural Science Education Enthusiast

Jill was a preservice science education student who wanted to make science more accessible to all students. This study is an examination of the “borders” she encountered as she completed her student teaching in a cultural setting that was different from her own. Her student teaching experience was documented through interviews, participant observations, field notes, lesson plans, and a journal. An inductive analysis of the documents and a context chart of the coded data revealed that Jill encountered the (a) cultural border of her students, (b) cultural border of science instruction, and (c) cultural border of the school. While some borders were crossed, others were not. This study suggests that during field experiences, preservice teachers may encounter multiple cultural borders, some consistent and some inconsistent with their instructional philosophy. As student teachers work with diverse populations, supervisors and cooperating teachers need to recognize the borders student teachers will encounter and encourage student teachers to examine their beliefs about practice as a means to acknowledge and understand the encountered borders.     

Developing teacher content understanding by integrating pH and logarithms concepts

Logarithms are notorious for being a difficult concept to understand and teach. Research suggests that learners can be supported in understanding logarithms by making connections between mathematics and science concepts such as pH. This study investigated how an integrated chemistry and mathematics lesson impacted 29 teachers’ understanding of the logarithmic relationship and pH. Pre- and post-test data indicated 23 teachers improved their understanding of logarithms and 28 improved their understanding of pH, suggesting that teacher educators in both science and mathematics context can use this approach to foster better understanding with their teachers and ultimately school students. Our analysis also identified professional development components and teacher characteristics associated with gains in understanding of pH and logarithms, which mathematics and science teacher educators can use to strategically adapt and implement the lesson within other teacher education settings.     

Students' Understanding of the Particulate Nature of Matter

The particulate nature of matter is identified in science education standards as one of the fundamental concepts that students should understand at the middle school level. However, science education research in indicates that secondary school students have difficulties understanding the structure of matter. The purpose of the study is to describe how engaging in an extended project‐based unit developed urban middle school students' understanding of the particulate nature of matter. Multiple sources of data were collected, including pre‐ and posttests, interviews, students' drawings, and video recordings of classroom activities. One teacher and her five classes were chosen for an indepth study. Analyses of data show that after experiencing a series of learning activities the majority of students acquired substantial content knowledge. Additionally, the finding indicates that students' understanding of the particulate nature of matter improved over time and that they retained and even reinforced their understanding after applying the concept. Discussions of the design features of curriculum and the teacher's use of multiple representations might provide insights into the effectiveness of learning activities in the unit.     

Teachers' Considerations of Students' Thinking During Mathematics Lesson Design

Teachers' abilities to design mathematics lessons are related to their capability to mobilize resources to meeting intended learning goals based on their noticing. In this process, knowing how teachers consider Students' thinking is important for understanding how they are making decisions to promote student learning. While teaching, what teachers notice influences their decision‐making process. This article explores the mathematics lesson planning practices of four 4th‐grade teachers at the same school to understand how their consideration of Students' learning influences planning decisions. Case study methodology was used to gain an in‐depth perspective of the mathematics planning practices of the teachers. Results indicate the teachers took varying approaches in how they considered students. One teacher adapted instruction based on Students' conceptual understanding, two teachers aimed at producing skill‐efficient students, and the final teacher regulated learning with a strict adherence to daily lessons in curriculum materials, with little emphasis on student understanding. These findings highlight the importance of providing professional development support to teachers focused on their noticing and considerations of Students' mathematical understandings as related to learning outcomes. These findings are distinguished from other studies because of the focus on how teachers consider Students' thinking during lesson planning. This article features a Research to Practice Companion Article . Please click on the supporting information link below to access.     

Teaching and Coherent Science: An Investigation of Teachers’ Beliefs About and Practice of Teaching Science Coherently

This article is about an investigation of six middle school science teachers’ beliefs and instructional practice about the coherence of the science they teach as articulated by National Science Education Standards ( NRC, 1996 ). Many well intentioned reform efforts focus on improving content knowledge of teachers, but many classroom teachers regularly miss opportunities to provide conceptual connections within the science ideas building the sense of coherence in science. This investigation involved a quasi experimental study to examine the efficacy of a method for collecting data about middle school science teachers’ thinking about science and to determine if they teach science coherently. The teachers were surveyed, interviewed, provided concept maps about their thinking of the science they taught, and observed to investigate whether their practice reflects their beliefs. An examination of the teachers’ beliefs, stated and unstated curriculum, the connections among topics and the nature of science revealed that one, the observation tool may have merit for identifying the content and connections among science topics, and two, that teachers ‘stated beliefs consistent with the National Science Education Standards’ vision for coherent science, did not match their demonstrated practice. The content taught could be characterized in three ways; coherent content and few connections, coherent content and connections, and not coherent content. This indicates for this group of middle school science teachers that knowing how they think about science and how those beliefs are reflected in their teaching is complex. This study can inform teacher education and professional development efforts about the need to move beyond just content enhancement to examine prior beliefs about the connections of concepts within science.     

Exploring the Use of New Representations as a Resource for Teacher Learning

An important goal of mathematics education reform is to support teacher learning. Toward this end, researchers and teacher educators have investigated ways in which teachers learn about mathematical content, pedagogical strategies, and student thinking as they implement reform. This study extends such work by examining how one elementary school and one high school teacher learned from students' interpretations of new conceptually based representations contained in instructional materials aligned with the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics ( National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2000 ). Results indicated that teaching with new representations provided a rich context for teacher learning at both the elementary and high school level, and three dimensions were identified along which such learning occurred. The results suggest that pedagogical content knowledge with respect to representations is an important facet of teacher cognition that should be studied in greater depth.     

Constructing Elementary Teachers' Beliefs,Attitudes, and Practical Knowledge Through an Inquiry‐Based Elementary Science Course

This study examines inservice elementary school teachers' beliefs, attitudes, and practical knowledge toward inquiry‐based science instruction and the influence of an inquiry‐based elementary science course on teachers' beliefs, attitudes, and practical knowledge regarding inquiry. Both surveys and a case study were administered to the 14 elementary school teachers before and after completing a three‐credit elementary science methods course that was inquiry‐based. The findings showed that the teachers' beliefs, attitudes, and practical knowledge about inquiry were clearly influenced by the course. Through this course, the teachers developed fairly positive beliefs and attitudes that promoted inquiry instruction. The majority of participants also improved their knowledge and skills of conducting inquiry as they successfully practiced inquiry‐instruction in their science teachings.     

“Natural Philosophy” as a Foundation for Science Education in an Age of High‐Stakes Accountability

Science curriculum and instruction in K‐12 settings in the United States is currently dominated by an emphasis on the science standards movement of the 1990s and the resulting standards‐based high‐stakes assessment and accountability movement of the 2000s. We argue that this focus has moved the field away from important philosophical understandings of science teaching and learning that have their roots in the history of both learning theory and scientific discovery. We offer a philosophical argument, as well as a model for implementation, grounded in the 19th century notion of “natural philosophy,” as well as Dewean progressivism and Piaget's notion of reconstruction through rediscovery, for the important place of the history of science in modern science education. We provide curricular examples of this model, as well as a discussion of how it might be implemented as part of teacher education. We focus our discussion on the elementary and middle school grades, because teachers at these levels tend to have more limited science content knowledge than their secondary school peers, making them more dependent upon curricular materials and thus more heavily influenced by curricular reforms.     

Making mathematics and science integration happen: key aspects of practice

The integration of mathematics and science teaching and learning facilitates student learning, engagement, motivation, problem-solving, criticality and real-life application. However, the actual implementation of an integrative approach to the teaching and learning of both subjects at classroom level, with in-service teachers working collaboratively, at second-level education, is under-researched due to the complexities of school-based research. This study reports on a year-long case study on the implementation of an integrated unit of learning on distance, speed and time, within three second-level schools in Ireland. This study employed a qualitative approach and examined the key aspects of practice that impact on the integration of mathematics and science teaching and learning. We argue that teacher perspective, teacher knowledge of the ‘other subject’ and of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK), and teacher collaboration and support all impact on the implementation of an integrative approach to mathematics and science education.     

The State of Readiness of Initial Level Preservice Middle Grades Science and Mathematics Teachers and Its Implications on Teacher Education Programs

The purpose of this study was to document through interview and videotaped data the current state of readiness of 10 preservice middle grade teachers, regarding their ability to plan, implement, and reflect on an integrated mathematics and science lesson. The results showed that only one student was successful in implementing a lesson that compared favorably to national standards. This student's lesson plan contained minimal pedagogical considerations and consisted primarily of notes emphasizing fine detail of distinction about the content of the lesson using her own examples. The lesson plan and post-lesson-plan interview data of the remaining students indicated an adherence to algorithmic learning, rote memorization, and procedural knowledge. There were numerous content errors in the plans, and these students orally described a lack of self-confidence in their ability to teach this lesson successfully. The most successful student demonstrated her competence in meeting standards of pedagogical content knowledge and was most successful in analyzing her own teaching. The results showed that most subjects of this study needed extensive training in content and pedagogy and in synthesizing these in a way consistent with modern learning theory.     

Reforming Elementary Science Teacher Preparation: What About Extant Teaching Beliefs?

A common maxim in the educational profession is that one teaches the way one is taught. Indications are that preservice teachers' beliefs, attitudes, and practices may be linked to previous experiences. Calderhead & Robson (1991) underscored this concern by asserting that teachers use good teachers as models for developing their own images as teachers. Others have argued that the images held by teachers are used as frames of reference for their own teaching practices. In this article, preservice teachers' perceptions of themselves as science teachers are examined. The assertion is made that a long history of stereotypical science learning experiences — in elementary school, high school, and college — powerfully impacts the way in which elementary preservice teachers understand the nature of science and come to believe science should be taught. In the current study, the images and perceptions preservice teachers bring to science methods courses (as evidenced in drawings of themselves as science teachers at work) are identified and ways these images and perceptions may have been formed and how they can be reinforced or modified during a science methods course are discussed.