Issues for ResearchersAllan Feldman, UMass AmherstJodie Galosy, Michigan State U

Carole Mitchener, U of Illinois Chicago

STEM Alternative Certification

2

Writing Committee

Abdulkadir Demir, University of Missouri, Columbia

Allan Feldman, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Chair

Jodie Galosy, Michigan State University, Co-Chair

Richard Iuli, SUNY Empire State College

Carole Mitchener, University of Illinois at Chicago, Co-Chair

HsingChi Wang, University of Calgary

Bruce Herbert, Texas A&M University

3

Guiding question of STEM ACT conference:

"What do we know and what more do we need to learn about how to incorporate the results of more than 30 years of research on science teaching and learning into alternative certification programs?"

4

Research on Alternative Certification

Mostly policy documents• Need, production, retention of teachers• Generic, not subject or level specific

Other main body of literature is evaluation of specific Alt cert programs

Little research on alternative certification of science teachers.• Almost no connection with the body of research on

science teaching and learning

5

Research on Alternative Certification

Does not distinguish programs of study from licensure requirements.

Treats alt cert and traditional programs as monoliths.

Pays little attention to teacher learning as an outcome.

Does not take science subject matter into account.

Draws little on research on science teaching and learning.

6

Research on Alternative Certification

Comparative studies between alt cert and traditional programs are not productive:

• Alternative certification is ill-defined.• There is at least as much variation within

programs as between (Wechsler, Humphey & Hough, 2006; Abell et al., 2006; Galosy, 2006; Lee, Olson & Scribner, 2006).

7

Rephrasing of guiding question:

"What do we know and what more do we need to learn about how to incorporate the results of more than 30 years of research on science teaching and learning into science teacher education programs?"

8

Reform Vision (RV) of good science teaching (NSES, AAAS, etc.)

Science classrooms are active and exciting places in which: The science taught and learned is relevant and interesting

to students’ lives; Students’ curiosity for their world beyond their own

experience is awakened; Students are engaged in inquiry; and Students develop a commitment to responsible citizenship.

9

What teacher beliefs, knowledge and skills support the RV? Science teachers need to know their

subject. Science teachers need to have science

subject specific PCK. Science teachers need to have practical

knowledge of running a lab, lab safety, etc.

Science teachers need to have knowledge about science curricula. (Britton, 2006)

10

Science teacher content knowledge:

Britton (2006): Science teaching is domain specific to the particular science discipline and to to the work of teaching that discipline.

Abell et al. (2006): Content knowledge for teaching science may be qualitatively different from academic science.

Wang (2006): College-level science courses may be major contributors to science teachers’ “fragmented and shallow” knowledge structures.

11

Science teacher pedagogical content knowledge

Science teachers’ PCK draws upon research in science teaching and learning

Inquiry Misconceptions Constructivism Formative assessment Nature of science(Abell et al., 2006; Britton, 2006; Greenwood et al., 2006;

Kern et al., 2006)

12

What do teachers need to know and be able to do to construct RV classrooms? (e.g., STEM ACT papers)?

Paper Beliefs/knowledge/skills/practices

Abell et al Content knowledge for teaching (CKT) and Pedagogical content knowledge for teaching (PCK)

Demir Inquiry-based teaching practices

Dern Teacher beliefs about student-centered teaching practices

Galosy Teachers’ expectations for their students’ science learning

Greenwood et al

Teacher efficacy--belief that they can have positive impacts on student learning

Lee Active learning, collaborative learning, connecting science with students’ experience, misconceptions and learning difficulties, assessment

Mitchener Inquiry-based teaching beliefs and practices

Sterling Classroom management, planning, and instructional capacities

13

How do science teachers learn to do RV teaching? Preservice Inservice

14

Preservice science teacher education

Primary purpose of credentialing programs is to provide assistance to candidates to meet criteria of the licensing authority.

Primary purpose of a teacher education program is to help teacher candidates to develop knowledge, skills, judgment and wisdom for teaching.

15

Divide between preservice and inservice

Proliferation of models of teacher education makes the location of this divide uncertain.

May be better to distinguish between novices and experts in studies.

When do people become science teachers?

16

Inservice science teacher education

Induction and mentoring Workshops and courses Teacher collaboratives

17

Induction and mentoring

Importance of the second year (Mitchener, 2006) Science specific district- or school-based

mentoring (Galosy, 2006). Both school-based and university-based mentors

have important roles (Greenwood et al., 2006) The novice teacher’s and mentor’s prior

experience and knowledge should be taken into account in establishing mentoring relationships (Koballa et al., 2006)

18

Mentoring

Effective programs have Trained mentors Provided mentors with time and resources Plan lessons and share curricula with mentees Demonstrate lessons to mentees; and Provide feedback from classroom observations.

(Humphrey, Wechsler, & Hough, 2006)

19

Models of mentoring

Apprenticeship Personal support Co-learning (Koballa et at., 2006)

20

Workshops and courses

Can provide science teachers with needed content knowledge.

Can provide science teachers with needed pedagogical content knowledge.

Require extensive follow-up.

21

Science teacher collaboratives

Lesson planning Collaborative action research

22

Recommendations

1) Little need for more comparative studies between alternative certification and traditional programs because

• Alt cert and traditional are ill-defined, and • There is more variation within programs

than between programs.2) Research should focus on science teacher

learning.

23

Research questions

What constitutes “good training in science” for science teachers?

How does science teacher education differ from generic teacher education?

Does preservice science teacher education differ from inservice science teacher education? Why and in what ways?

How do we transform credentialing programs into educational programs?

24

Research questions

How do diverse teachers acquire the beliefs, knowledge and skills across a variety of educational settings and opportunities?• Preservice/initial preparation: What coursework and field

experiences lead to the development of knowledge and skills that help new teachers to create RV classrooms?

• Induction: What types of support do new science teachers need to create RV classrooms and to remain in the profession?

• Teacher collaboratives: What roles can groups of science teachers learning together play in their continued education and production of professional knowledge?

25

Research questions

Who are the science teacher candidates? How do the following effect relate to candidates’ learning to be science teachers?

• Age, race, ethnicity, gender• Prior experience• Science knowledge• Context and societal influences