Preparing New Science Teachers for Urban Classrooms : Consensus Within an Expert Community

Preparing future science teachers for U.S. city classrooms is an important yet poorly understood process. The purpose of this study was to determine the philosophies and practices of university ‐based science educators associated with programs supplying teachers for metropolitan school systems. Through an iterative process of mailed questionnaires, 20 participants rated their views on issues pertinent to science teacher education. The responses to questionnaires were used in the creation of items for each subsequent round. The three rounds of questionnaires contained Likert ‐scale and open‐ended questions. For many issues, there was consistently high consensus among the expert panelists, including the presence of students for whom English is a second or new language, the importance of science education professors remaining connected to urban school issues, and practices often affiliated with reform (e.g., alternative assessment, nature of science). Several issues emerged as having low regard by the participants, including the role of student ethnicity on teaching strategies, providing instruction about reading strategies within science teacher preparation, and the value of professors having themselves taught science in urban settings.     

Inventing Creativity: An Exploration of the Pedagogy of Ingenuity in Science Classrooms

Concerns with the ability of U.S. classrooms to develop learners who will become the next generation of innovators, particularly given the present climate of standardized testing, warrants a closer look at creativity in science classrooms. The present study explored these concerns associated with teachers' classroom practice by addressing the following research question: What pedagogical factors, and related teacher conceptions, are potentially related to the demonstration of creativity among science students? Seventeen middle‐level, high school, and introductory‐level college science teachers from a variety of school contexts participated in the study. A questionnaire developed for this study, interviews, and classroom observations were used in order to explore potential areas of relatedness between pedagogical factors and manifestations of student creativity in science. Five categories ultimately emerged and described potential areas in which teachers would have to explicitly plan for creativity. These areas could inform the pedagogical considerations that teachers would have to make within their lesson plans and activities in order to support its manifestation among students. These provide a starting point for science teachers and science teacher educators to consider how to develop supportive environments for student creative thinking.     

Voices from the Front Lines: Exemplary Science Teachers on Education Reform

The purpose of this study is to gain insight into the experiences that nationally award‐winning, exemplary science teachers have had over their career and examine the alignment of their responses with calls for K‐12 science education reform from a selection of prominent commissioned government reports since 1980. From an assessment of the alignment of exemplary teachers, calls for reform have had a limited effect and highlight the weakness of using national reports as a wide‐scale, nationalized approach to science education reform. Findings are focused on seven different areas of teacher development: classroom issues, teaching scientific inquiry, use of technology, preservice experiences, professional development of in‐service teachers, vertical articulation, and science education reform over time. Among other issues, the teachers indicated one of the biggest barriers to inquiry teaching is the pressure to conform to high‐stakes testing and the lack of examples of inquiry teaching during teacher education experiences.     

Using Emerging Technologies to Help Bridge the Gap Between University Theory and Classroom Practice: Challenges and Successes

This article describes and illuminates the challenges that the authors faced as we integrated a web‐supported professional development system into elementary science methods courses housed at three different universities. Using a design experiment framework, the challenges and difficulties encountered while attempting to develop and sustain effective discussions about inquiry‐based teaching are discussed. Three main issues were identified through this analysis: (a) creating meaningful interactions for preservice teachers, (b) supporting preservice teacher reflection and articulation of their belief systems, and (c) technical, social, and institutional challenges of using a World Wide Web based professional development system. The article closes with recommendations concerning the implementation of a web‐based professional development system into elementary methods science courses and describes what appear to be successful strategies for fostering a collaborative atmosphere between teacher educators, preservice teachers, and in‐service teachers.     

Interesting Science and Mathematics Graduate Students in Secondary Teaching

State and national initiatives attempt to increase the quantity and quality of secondary mathematics and science teachers. Research suggests that if one could appeal to something inside of people or about the process of teaching and learning itself, then one might draw current mathematics and science graduate students into secondary teaching. This study placed eight mathematics and science graduate students in secondary schools for ten hours a week. Pre‐ and post‐measures of their interest level in becoming secondary teachers were made. Overall, graduate students decreased in their desire to become secondary teachers. The main reasons were (1) fellows wanted to work with higher‐level mathematics and science; (2) fellows felt students were not behaved and unmotivated; (3) fellows did not view being a teacher as a career, but only as a job; and (4) fellows felt school systems had to do too many things that fellows did not want to do.     

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.     

Exploring the Relationship Between Teaching Efficacy and Cultural Efficacy of Novice Science Teachers in High‐Needs Schools

This qualitative case study sought to investigate what relationship exists between teaching efficacy and cultural efficacy of novice science teachers in high‐needs, high‐minority urban schools. One major theme—the importance of establishing positive teacher–student relationships—surrounding teaching efficacy in the context of cultural efficacy emerged. The data sources included: (a) teachers' responses to a focus group interview conducted at the end of their first year, (b) written reports and documentation from university‐based field supervisors' observations during the teachers' first year, and (c) teachers' self‐reported responses on the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument designed to measure science teaching efficacy. Final analysis of the data reflects a strong relationship between teaching efficacy and practice within the context of culture. The results of this study also indicated an existing relationship between teaching efficacy and cultural efficacy through cultural connections with students. Encouraging the development of teacher efficacy in the context of cultural efficacy becomes important at all levels of teacher preparation, especially to ensure the retention of high‐quality science teachers in high‐needs schools.     

Science as a Learner and as a Teacher: Measuring Science Self‐Efficacy of Elementary Preservice Teachers

Academic science achievement of U.S. students has raised concerns regarding our ability as a nation to compete in a global economy. Additionally, research has shown that many elementary teachers have weak science content backgrounds and had poor/negative experiences as students of science, resulting in a lack of confidence regarding teaching science. However, efforts to increase science self‐efficacy (SE) in preservice teachers can help to combat these issues. This study looked at a sample of preservice elementary teachers engaged in a semester‐long science content course, using Bandura's concept of SE as a conceptual framework. Our quantitative data showed significant increases in science SE on both subscales (personal efficacy and outcome expectancy). Our qualitative data showed that students communicated an increased sense of confidence with regard to the discipline of science. In addition, students reported learning science pedagogy through the instructor's modeling. Combining our findings resulted in several meta‐inferences, one of which showed students growing as both confident learners of science and teachers of science simultaneously. We created a construct new to the literature to describe this phenomenon: “teacher‐learner,” for students are both learning science and learning to teach science simultaneously through the content course experience, resulting in increased science SE.     

Science Talk: Preservice Teachers Facilitating Science Learning in Diverse Afterschool Environments

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact a community‐based service learning program might have on preservice teachers' science instruction during student teaching. Designed to promote science inquiry, preservice teachers learned how to offer students more opportunities to develop their own ways of thinking through utilization of an afterschool science program that provided them extended opportunities to practice their science teaching skills. Three preservice teachers were followed to examine and evaluate the transfer of this experience to their student teaching classroom. Investigation methods included field observations and semi‐structured, individual interviews. Findings indicate that preservice teachers expanded their ideas of science inquiry instruction to include multiple modes of formative assessment, while also struggling with the desire to give students the correct answer. While the participants' experiences are few in number, the potential of afterschool teaching experience serving as an effective learning experience in preservice teacher preparation is significant. With the constraints of high‐stakes testing, community‐based service learning teaching opportunities for elementary and middle‐school preservice teachers can support both the development and refinement of inquiry instruction skills.     

Strategies and Sources of Support for Beginning Teachers of Science and Mathematics

This study examines the support structures and strategies utilized by beginning mathematics and science teachers. The qualitative case study of 18 teachers (0–3 years of experience) includes teachers from rural, suburban and urban schools. Data collection consisted of one‐hour interviews. The findings indicate participants utilized formal and informal support structures within the school district (e.g., mentoring programs, talking to other new teachers) as well as those external to the school (e.g., professional organizations and conferences, talking to family and friends). We propose a model of beginning teachers' initiating access to support structures based on the realization that their ideal images of teaching do not match the realities of their classrooms. Implications are given for teacher educators, researchers, and school administrators.     

Multi‐Year Professional Development Grounded in Educative Curriculum Focused on Integrating Technology With Reformed Science Teaching Principles

Visions of science teaching and learning in the newest U.S. standards documents are dramatically different than those found in most classrooms. This research addresses these differences through closely examining one professional development (PD) project that connects teacher learning and teacher practice with student learning/achievement. This study examines the effects on eighth grade science teachers and their students in the context of a PD focused on the integration of information communication technologies and reformed science teaching practices. Findings from this investigation suggest that teachers who participated in PD for two years learned more about technology, improved their practice, and their students’ achievement was significantly higher compared to teachers who participated in one year of the PD or non‐participating peers. Science educators face multiple challenges as they attempt to deliver instruction in fundamentally different ways than what they experienced as learners. The delivery of this professional learning suggest that PD for science teachers should include educative learning experiences if understandings of reforms supported by research are to be realized.     

Urban Third Grade Teachers' Practices and Perceptions in Science Instruction with English Language Learners

The study examined relationships among key domains of science instruction with English language learning (ELL) students based on teachers' perceptions of their classroom practices (i.e., what they think they do) and actual classroom practices (i.e., what they are observed doing). The four domains under investigation included: (1) teachers' knowledge of science content; (2) teaching practices to support scientific understanding; (3) teaching practices to support scientific inquiry; and (4) teaching practices to support English language development during science instruction. The study involved 38 third‐grade teachers participating in the first‐year implementation of a professional development intervention aimed at improving science and literacy achievement of ELL students in urban elementary schools. Based on teachers' self‐reports, practices for understanding were related to practices for inquiry and practices for English language development. Based on classroom observations in the fall and spring, practices for understanding were related to practices for inquiry, practices for English language development, and teacher knowledge of science content. However, we found a weak to non‐existent relationship between teachers' self‐reports and observations of their practices.     

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.     

Integrating Science,Mathematics, and Technology in Middle School Technology‐Rich Environments: A Study of Implementation and Change

The GTECH project, funded through a grant from the GTE Foundation, prepared school teams of science, mathematics and technology teachers and an administrator to set goals for their local schools regarding implementation of electronic technology and integration of content across curricular areas. A variety of teacher‐centered staff development strategies were used to enable participants to achieve local school objectives, model and encourage active learning environments involving technology, develop integrated curriculum and provide training to their peers. GTECH staff provided workshops and summer institutes based on teacher feedback and classroom observations. Data from the Stages of Concerns Questionnaire assisted the staff in designing effective staff development activities. Over the 2‐year period, teacher teams developed and implemented integrated instructional materials and developed skills in using HyperStudio, PowerPoint, telecommunications applications, and instructional resources from the Internet. They also linked instruction to new state and national standards in science, mathematics, and technology. GTECH teachers reported that their students have expanded their knowledge and skill in problem solving, teamwork, technical expertise, and creativity.     

Influence of Scholarships on STEM Teachers: Cluster Analysis and Characteristics

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers' perceptions about the influence of scholarship on their decision to teach and to teach in a high‐needs school were examined using cluster analysis. Three hundred and four STEM scholars, who were currently teaching, and who received funding from 45 institutions located throughout the United States responded to this national survey that was part of a larger cross‐sectional program evaluation. Three disparate clusters were identified: less committed to becoming a teacher and teaching in a high‐needs school, highly committed to becoming a teacher but not to teaching in a high‐needs school, and highly committed to becoming a teacher and teaching in a high‐needs school. Furthermore, the results indicated that the recipient's race and the time when the scholar learned about the scholarship were related to cluster membership. These results can be used to target STEM majors who may be influenced by scholarships to enter teaching and to teach in high‐needs schools.     

Reflective Pathways: Analysis of an Urban Science Teaching Field Experience on Noyce Scholar‐Science Education Awardees' Decisions to Teach Science in a High‐Need New York City School

Awardees of the National Science Foundation's Noyce Scholars funds are required to teach science in high‐need urban or rural school districts upon graduation. The purpose of this research was to analyze the reflective considerations that distinguish preservice Noyce Scholar science education majors committed to teaching in high‐need New York City (NYC) schools from those committed to high‐need rural careers. Essays designed to expose their (n = 22) considerations of teaching in NYC written before, immediately after, and two weeks following a one‐week cultural and science teaching internship experience were coded to reveal distinguishing reflective thought patterns. The results showed that those (16/22) whose final essay showed commitment to NYC teaching viewed themselves positively as NYC teachers and that increases in positive self‐perceptions were paralleled by increases in affinity toward living in NYC and NYC schools. Those not inclined to NYC teaching (6/22) expressed increasingly negative views of themselves as NYC teachers, NYC life, and urban education generally. The research provides insights into what Noyce Scholar undergraduates in science education think about when considering a teaching career in urban school districts.     

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.     

Moving Beyond “Those Kids”: Addressing Teacher Beliefs Regarding the Role of Culture Within Effective Science Pedagogy for Diverse Learners

This study focused on intensive work within a large, urban, low‐performing middle school in the southwest to address and transform teacher beliefs regarding the role of culture within their science pedagogy. Given the recent, rapid growth of numbers of students from Hispanic/Latino(a) backgrounds in the United States, it is critical that a paradigm shift takes place within schools and existing beliefs of science teachers to address the needs of a much changed classroom. This study details the journey of middle‐school teachers who were provided support and experiences targeted at addressing their existing beliefs regarding the role of culture and the growth and change that were achieved through a science education reform effort. Implications for further research will be discussed, including the need for attention to beliefs regarding culture are shared.