ERIC Number: EJ938942
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Oct
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1046-560X
EISSN: N/A
Teachers' Willingness to Adopt Nature of Science Activities Following a Physical Science Professional Development
Donnelly, Lisa A.; Argyle, Sean
Journal of Science Teacher Education, v22 n6 p475-490 Oct 2011
The major science education reform documents emphasize the need for K-12 students to have a robust understanding of nature of science (NOS), and inservice teachers consequently need to develop their NOS teaching repertoires. This study investigated the extent to which science teachers were willing to adopt new strategies and activities for teaching NOS in their classrooms. The participants were 36 elementary, middle, and high school teachers who were completing a year-long physical science professional development (PD) that included NOS instruction. Data sources consisted of surveys (teachers' NOS views, teaching practices), collected work, and responses to post-PD follow-up questions. The professional development course was successful in that teachers incorporated many of these strategies and activities into their own practice. This study also endeavored to identify factors that facilitated the adoption of these new approaches to teaching NOS. While personal characteristics such as pre- or post-PD NOS understandings, NOS gains, and grade level taught were not related to the number of NOS activities incorporated, teachers from suburban and rural schools were significantly more likely to implement NOS activities.
Descriptors: Scientific Principles, Physical Sciences, Faculty Development, Science Activities, Adoption (Ideas), Science Teachers, Science Instruction, Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, Secondary School Teachers, Rural Schools, Suburban Schools
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Elementary Secondary Education; High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A