Toward socially just science teaching through professional development: The science teacher identity development and agency of two elementary Teachers of Color

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica L. Chen ◽  
Felicia Mensah
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Pellikka ◽  
Sonja Lutovac ◽  
Raimo Kaasila

This study examines the relationships between preservice primary teachers’ (PSTs) views, understandings, and implementations of inquiry-based teaching (IBT) in primary biology education. In earlier studies, these relationships have been researched separately. Exploring them simultaneously allows a greater insight into the process of teacher change and science teacher identity development. Drawing on the narrative method, data included learning diaries, lesson plans, and interviews during a two year research period. Our findings reveal the complex relationships between three aspects of IBT. For example, embracing views of IBT were sometimes accompanied by a significant understanding of IBT and other times by a weak understanding. Whereas, hesitant views of IBT also went together with significant understanding. We discuss these relationships in the light of their impact on science teacher identity and provide suggestions for teacher education.


Author(s):  
Brenda M. Capobianco ◽  
James D. Lehman

This chapter describes one science teacher educator’s attempts to integrate various educational technologies in an elementary science methods course, her students’ responses to her attempts, and the tensions that emerged. The science teacher educator employed teacher action research as a means of systematic, reflective inquiry to examine critically how preservice elementary school science teachers think about, use, and reflect on educational technologies and how their developing professional identities intersect with adoption of these technologies. Tensions emerged from a dichotomy between what methods students perceived as “traditional” science teaching and science teaching using technology. Resulting problems of practice included: expertise in/with science and negotiating a new curriculum, control in the classroom, content coverage, and support and sense of community. The authors conclude their chapter with implications and recommendations for future research related to the significant role educational technology can play in science teacher education and science teacher identity development.


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