Effects of Research Apprenticeship on In-Service Teachers’ Understanding of

Nature of Science

Michelle R. Edgcomb Friday

C&I 575

May 5, 2010

1957: Launch of Sputnik spurs interest in science and engineering education1

2010: President Obama cites need for science and math education multiple times in State of the Union Address2

What Is Science?

Layperson vs. Practitioner

Content vs. Process

“Proof” vs. TheoryKnowing vs. Doing

Practical vs. Esoteric

Accessible vs. Remote

Rote3,4,5

Didactic

Teacher-Centered

1996 NSES6

Inquiry

Why?7,8

ProfessionalDevelopment

Content Understanding

Nature of Science (NOS)

Inquiry Practices

ResearchApprenticeships

Content Understanding9

Nature of Science9

Inquiry Practices?

ResearchApprenticeships

Varying results10

Varying lengths10

Purpose Statement

• The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of the length of a research apprenticeship on teachers’ gains in scientific content knowledge, teachers’ gains in understanding of the nature of science, and teacher’s use of inquiry-based methods in their classroom.

Research Questions

• Does a 150-hour research immersion program increase teachers’:– Content understanding more than a 75-hour

research immersion program?– Understanding of the nature of science more than

a 75-hour research immersion program?– Class time spent on inquiry-education more than a

75-hour research immersion program?

Length ofImmersion

Content

NOS

Time on Inquiry

NOS

Time on inquiry

Content

Program Description

• pK-8 teachers placed with a research mentor

• PUSD 150

• 75 or 150 hour placement

• Graduate credit (1 or 2 hr.)

• Active research project

Recruit cohort

Informed consent

Safety training

Inquiry Journals

Pre-assessments

April-May 2011

Research immersion

Weekly seminars

Post-assessments

Inquiry Journals

June-September 2011

Methodology

• Mixed methods– Quantitative content– Qualitative NOS and Time on Inquiry

• Non-experimental– No control– Convenience sampling– N=30, n=15

Assessments

• Diagnostic Science Assessments for Middle School Teachers11

• The Views on Nature of Science-C12

• Teacher journals10

Analysis

• Dependent t-test– Pre/post within group

• Independent t-test– Pre/post between

groups

• Qualitative analysis– Journals– Interviews

Ethical ConsiderationsConcerns Interventions

Physical safety General workshops

Established protocols

Lowered self-efficacy Program advisor

Cohort seminars

Limitations

Control

Length10

Lag-time13

References

• 1Abramson, Larry (2007). Sputnik left legacy for U.S. science education. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14829195

• 2Obama, Barack (2010, January 27). Remarks by the President in State of the Union Address. Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-state-union-address

• 3National Science Resources Center. (1997). Science for all children: A guide to improving elementary science education in your district. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

• 4Nelson, G. (1999). Science literacy for all in the 21st century. Educational Leadership, 41, 14-17.

• 5Korb, M. A., Sirola, C., & Climack, R. (2005). Promoting physical science to education majors. Journal of College Science Teaching. XXXIV, 42-45.

References• 6National Research Council. (1996). National Science Education

Standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.• 7Kelly, J. (2000). Rethinking the elementary science methods course:

A case for content, pedagogy, and informal science education. International Journal of Science Education, 22(7), 755-777.

• 8Zubrowski, B. (2007) An observational and planning tool for professional development in science education. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 18, 861-884.

• 9Westerlund, J. F., Garcia, D.M., Koke, J. R., Taylor, T.A., & Mason, D. S. (2002). Summer scientific research for teachers: The experience and its effect. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 13, 63-83.

• 10Sadler, T., Burgin, S., McKinney, L., & Ponjuan, L. (2009). Learning science through research apprenticeships: A critical review of the literature. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. doi: 10.1002/tea.20326

References

• 11University of Louisville (2010). Diagnostic Science Assessments for Middle School Teachers. Retrieved from http://louisville.edu/education/research/centers/crmstd/diag_sci_assess_middle_teachers.html

• 12Lederman, N.G., Abd-El-Khalick, F., Bell, R.L., & Schwartz, R.S.(2001). Views of nature of science questionnaire: Toward valid and meaningful assessment of learners’ conceptions of nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39, 497-521.

• 13Silverstein, S., Dubner, J., Miller, J., Glied, S., & Loike, D. (2009). Teachers’ participation in research programs improves their students’ achievement in science. Science, 326, 440-442.

Photo Credits• Sputnik: This image or file is a work of a U.S. Air Force Airman or employee, taken or made

during the course of the person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image or file is in the public domain.

• President Barack Obama: Pete Souza, This image is a work of an employee of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, taken or made during the course of the person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.

• Lecture class: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman James R. Evans: This image is a work of a sailor or employee of the U.S. Navy, taken or made during the course of the person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.

• University of Louisville: Jack E. Boucher:his image or media file contains material based on a work of a National Park Service employee, created during the course of the person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, such work is in the public domain.

• Graph: GNOME Project: This work is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or any later version. This work is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See version 2 and version 3 of the GNU General Public License for more details.