Fostering a community of practice through a professional development program to improve elementary teachers' views of nature of science and teaching practice

Journal of Research in Science Teaching

Volumn 46, Issue 10, 2009, Pages 1090-1113

  Akerson, Valarie L ^a   Cullen, Theresa A ^b   Hanson, Deborah L ^c  

^a INDIANA UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA   (United States)

^c HANOVER COLLEGE   (United States)

Author keywords

Case study research; Naturalistic

Indexed keywords

CASE STUDY RESEARCH; CLASSROOM PRACTICES; CLASSROOM SUPPORT; COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS; COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE; ELEMENTARY TEACHERS; NATURE OF SCIENCE; PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT; PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM; SUMMER WORKSHOPS; TEACHING PRACTICES;

EMPLOYMENT; PROFESSIONAL ASPECTS; RESEARCH; SCHOOL BUILDINGS; VIDEO RECORDING;

TEACHING;

EID: 73349108488     PISSN: 00224308     EISSN: 10982736     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1002/tea.20303     Document Type: Article

References (48)

1. American Association for the Advancement of Science. (1993). Benchmarks for science literacy: A Project 2061 report. New York: Oxford University Press.
2. Abd-El-Khalick, F.S., & Akerson, V.L. (2004). Learning as conceptual change: Factors mediating the development of preservice elementary teachers' views of nature of science. Science Education, 88, 785-810.
3. Abd-El-Khalick, F., &Lederman, N.G. (2000). Improving science teachers' conceptions of the nature of science: A critical review of the literature. International Journal of Science Education, 22, 665-701.
4. Abd-El-Khalick, F.S., Waters, M., & Le, A. (2008). Representations of nature of science in high school chemistry textbooks over the past four decades. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 45, 835-855.
5. Akerson, V.L., &Abd-El-Khalick, F.S. (2003). Teaching elements of nature of science: Ayearlong case study of a fourth-grade teacher. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40, 1025-1049.
6. Akerson, V.L., &Hanuscin, D.L. (2007). Teaching nature of science through inquiry: Results of a 3-year professional development program. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44, 653-680.
7. Akerson, V.L., Abd-El-Khalick, F.S., & Lederman, N.G. (2000). Influence of a reflective explicit activity-based approach on elementary teachers' conceptions of nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 37, 295-317.
8. Akerson, V.L., Hanson, D.L., & Cullen, T.A. (2007). The influence of guided inquiry and explicit instruction on K-6 teachers' views of nature of science. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 18, 751-772.
9. Backus, D.A., &Thompson, K.W. (2006). Addressing the nature of science in preservice science teacher preparation programs: Science educator perspectives. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 17, 65-81.
10. Banilower, E.R., Heck, D.J., &Weiss, I.R. (2007). Can professional development make the vision of the standards a reality? The impact of the National Science Foundations' local systemic change through teacher enhancement initiative. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44, 375-395.
11. Bell, B., & Gilbert, J. (1994). Teacher development as professional, personal and social development. Teaching and Teacher Education, 10(5), 483-497.
12. Bianchini, J.A., & Cavazos, L.M. (2007). Learning from students, inquiry into practice, and participation in professional communities: Beginning teachers' uneven progress toward equitable science teaching. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44, 586-612.
13. Bogdan, R.C., & Biklen, S.K. (2003). Qualitative research for education (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
14. Calderhead, J., & Robson, M. (1991). Images of teaching: Student teachers' early conceptions of classroom practice. Teaching and Teacher Education, 7(1), 1-8.
15. Clough, M.P. (2006). Learner's responses to the demands of conceptual change: Considerations for effective nature of science instruction. Science & Education, 15, 463-494.
16. Dawkins, K.R., & Dickerson, D.L. (2007). Building a community of teacher learners in an earth/environmental science professional development opportunity. Journal of Geoscience Education, 55(1), 67-71.
17. Driver, R., Asoko, H., Leach, J., Mortimer, E., & Scott, P. (1994). Constructing scientific knowledge in the classroom. Educational Researcher, 23(7), 5-12.
18. Ford, D.J. (2006). Representations of science within children's trade books. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 43, 214-235.
19. Freeman, J.G., Marx, R.W., & Cimellaro, L. (2004). Emerging considerations for professional development institutes for science teachers. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 15, 111-131.
20. Gallagher, J.J. (1991). Perspective and practicing secondary school science teachers' knowledge and beliefs about the philosophy of science. Science Education, 75, 121-134.
21. King, B.B. (1991). Beginning teachers' knowledge of and attitudes toward history and philosophy of science. Science Education, 75, 135-141.
22. Kruger, C., Palacio, D., & Summers, M. (1992). Surveys of English primary teachers' conceptions of force, energy, and materials. Science Education, 76, 339-351.
23. Lederman, N.G. (1992). Students' and teachers' conceptions about the nature of science: A review of the research. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 29, 331-359.
24. Lederman, N.G. (1999). Teachers' understanding of the NOS and classroom practice: Factors that facilitate or impede the relationship. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 36, 916-929.
25. Lederman, J.S., & Khishfe, R. (2002). Views of nature of science, Form D2. Unpublished paper. Chicago, IL: Illinois Institute of Technology.
26. Lederman, N.G., Abd-El-Khalick, F., Bell, R.L., & Schwartz, R. (2002). Views of nature of science questionnaire (VNOS): Toward valid and meaningful assessment of learners' conceptions of nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39, 497-521.
27. Leite, L. (2006). Prospective physical sciences teachers' willingness to engage in learning communities. European Journal of Teacher Education, 29(1), 3-22.
28. Lewthwaite, B. (2007). Critiquing science lessons for their authenticity as a means of evaluating teacher candidate understanding of the Nature of Science. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 18, 109-124.
29. Lumpe, A. (2007). Research-based professional development: Teachers engaged in professional learning communities. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 18, 125-128.
30. Matthews, M.R. (1998). In defense of modest goals when teaching about the nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 35, 161-174.
31. McDermott, L.C. & the Physics Education Group at University of Washington. (1996). Physics by inquiry. NY: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
32. Neale, D.C., Smith, D., & Johnson, V.G. (1990). Implementing conceptual change teaching in primary science. The Elementary School Journal, 91(2), 109-131.
33. National Research Council. (1996). National science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
34. National Science Teachers Association. (2000). NSTA position statement: The nature of science. Document retrieved 12/08/08. http://www.nsta.org/ 159&psid=22.
35. Park, S., Oliver, J.S., Johnson, T.S., Graham, P., & Oppong, N.K. (2007). Colleagues' roles in professional development of teachers: Results from a research study of National Board certification. Teaching and Teacher Education 23, 368-389.
36. Putnam, R.T., & Borko, H. (2000). What do new views of knowledge and thinking have to say about research on teacher learning? Educational Researcher, 29(1), 4-15.
37. Roberts, S.M., & Pruitt, E.Z. (2003). Schools as professional learning communities. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
38. Robertson, A. (2007). Development of shared vision: Lessons from a science education community collaborative. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44, 681-705.
39. Rutherford, J., & Algren, A. (1989). Science for all Americans. Washington, DC: Oxford University Press.
40. Schwartz, R.S., Lederman, N.G., &Crawford, B.A. (2004). Developing views of science in an authentic context: An explicit approach to bridging the gap between nature of science and scientific inquiry. Science Education, 88, 610-645.
41. Shen, J., Zhen, J., & Poppink, S. (2007). Open lessons: A practice to develop a learning community for teachers. Educational Horizons, 85(3), 181-191.
42. Smith, D.C., & Andersen, C.W. (1999). Appropriating scientific practices and discourses with future elementary teachers. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 36, 755-776.
43. Snow-Gerono, J.L. (2005). Professional development in a culture of inquiry: PDS teachers identify the benefits of professional learning communities. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21, 241-256.
44. Supovitz, J.A., & Christman, J.B. (2005). Small learning communities that actually learn: Lessons for school leaders. Phi Delta Kappan, 86(9), 649-651.
45. Thomas, J.A., &Pedersen, J.E. (2003). Reforming elementary science teacher preparation: What about extant teaching beliefs. School Science and Mathematics, 103, 319-330.
46. Wayne, A.J., Yoon, K.S., Zhu, P., Cronen, S., & Garet, M.S. (2008). Experimenting with teacher professional development: Motives and methods. Educational Researcher, 37(8), 469-479.
47. Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning and identity. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
48. Wenger, E., McDermott, R., & Snyder, W.M. (2002). Cultivating communities of practice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press.