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ERIC Number: EJ1087981
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2331-186X
EISSN: N/A
Changing Practice: An Evaluation of the Impact of a Nature of Science Inquiry-Based Professional Development Programme on Primary Teachers
Murphy, Clíona; Smith, Greg; Varley, Janet; Razi, Özge
Cogent Education, v2 n1 Article 1077692 2015
This study investigates how a two-year continuing professional development (CPD) programme, with an emphasis on teaching about science through inquiry, impacted the experiences of, approaches to and attitudes towards teaching science of 17 primary teachers in Dublin. Data sources included interview, questionnaire and reflective journal strategies. Data gathering focussed primarily on enabling teachers to reflect on their experiences of teaching about science through inquiry while implementing the Irish primary science curriculum. Teachers were also asked to consider their own changes in teaching science, as change in practice is a key indicator of successful professional intervention. Encouragingly the findings have shown that participation in this CPD programme appears to have been central to empowering these Dublin teachers to break away from rather traditional, didactic, theory-laden views of science teaching and to tackle more child-led, open-ended modes of learning. The data also revealed a number of aspects of the CPD model which the teachers perceived to be beneficial at translating inquiry into their classrooms, in particular: the active, hands-on approaches; the collaboration and the duration of the CPD itself. Based on the findings of this study, implications for professional development are considered.
Cogent OA. Available from: Taylor & Francis Group. 284 Park Square Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 4RN, UK. Tel: +44-20-7017-6000; e-mail: info@CogentOA.com; Web site: http://cogentoa.tandfonline.com/journal/oaed20
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Adult Education; Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ireland (Dublin)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A