scholarly journals Effects of an Inquiry-Focused, Content-Intensive Program on Pre-Kindergarten-9th Grade Teachers’ Content Knowledge, Self-Efficacy, and Goals

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (34) ◽  
pp. 363
Author(s):  
Patricia Nugent ◽  
Michelle Edgcomb Friday ◽  
Wayne Evens ◽  
Kelly McConnaughay ◽  
Sherrie Morris ◽  
...  

This study describes the effects of an inquiry-focused, contentintensive professional development program on Pre-kindergarten-9th grade teachers’ science and mathematics knowledge, use of classroom based inquiry, improvement in their science teaching self-efficacy and other motivation constructs. This two-and-a-half-year program was designed to meet the needs of teachers in a local urban school district. The professional development in the form of a graduate program intentionally sought to emphasize science and mathematics content knowledge and inquiry teaching. Twenty experimental teacher-participants were involved in the program with twelve additional teachers as a control group. Data collection instruments used for this study included content testing, student test-scores, self-efficacy belief surveys, and behavioral scales. The results of the study indicated greater growth for program participants in the areas of science and mathematics content knowledge. The participants also showed greater increases in science teaching self-efficacy as compared to the teachers in the control group.

Author(s):  
Jennifer Chauvot ◽  
Stephen J. Pape ◽  
Sherri K. Prosser ◽  
Kimberly Hicks

In this chapter, the authors describe two online programs that sought to impact teachers' content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and instructional practices in K-12 classrooms. One program was a master's program for middle grades science and mathematics teachers, and the other was a yearlong professional development program for third- through fifth-grade general and special education teachers. They share the theoretical perspectives that informed the design and implementation of the programs and outcomes from each program. Examples of learning activities from each of the programs are provided. The authors contend that deliberate, theoretically-based design and implementation of online professional development programs with science and mathematics teachers is not only viable but also vital in supporting teachers' ongoing knowledge growth of learner-centered instruction.


Author(s):  
Jennifer Chauvot ◽  
Stephen J. Pape ◽  
Sherri K. Prosser ◽  
Kimberly Hicks

In this chapter, the authors describe two online programs that sought to impact teachers' content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and instructional practices in K-12 classrooms. One program was a master's program for middle grades science and mathematics teachers, and the other was a yearlong professional development program for third- through fifth-grade general and special education teachers. They share the theoretical perspectives that informed the design and implementation of the programs and outcomes from each program. Examples of learning activities from each of the programs are provided. The authors contend that deliberate, theoretically-based design and implementation of online professional development programs with science and mathematics teachers is not only viable but also vital in supporting teachers' ongoing knowledge growth of learner-centered instruction.


2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 559-566
Author(s):  
Harlan P. Jones ◽  
Jamboor K. Vishwanatha ◽  
Edward L. Krug ◽  
Eileen Harwood ◽  
Kristin Eide Boman ◽  
...  

Background: Eliminating the NIH fund­ing gap among underrepresented minori­ties (URMs) remains a high priority for the National Institutes of Health. In 2014, the National Research Mentoring Network1 Steps Toward Academic Research (NRMN STAR) program recruited postdoctoral, early-stage and junior faculty to participate in a 12-month grant writing and professional development program. The expectation of the program was to increase the number of grant submissions and awards to URM re­searchers. Although receiving a grant award is the gold standard of NRMN STAR, instill­ing confidence for postdocs and early-stage faculty to submit an application is a critical first step. Based on our previous study, a sustained increase in trainee self-efficacy score over a 24-month period was observed after completing NRMN STAR.Methods: The current study sought to determine the association between self-efficacy score and grant submissions among two cohorts of trainees. Grantsmanship Self-Efficacy was measured using a 19-item questionnaire previously described by and used in our own work, which was originally adapted from an 88-item Clinical Research Appraisal Inventory.2 A binary variable was created to identify trainees who submit­ted an initial or revised proposal vs those who abandoned their proposal or were still writing. Trainees were assessed prior to and following program completion with subsequent assessments at 6 and 12 months beyond participation.Results: As of June 20, 2019, 12 of the 21 (57%) trainees had submitted a grant proposal (eg, NIH, other federal or non-federal grant). For every point increase in 12-month post assessments, Grantsmanship Self-Efficacy scores across all domains had a 44% higher prevalence of submitting a grant after controlling for race, sex, education  level, academic rank, research experience, duration of postdoctoral training, institution type, and NRMN STAR cohort.  Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that NRMN STAR had a positive impact on trainees’ confidence in grant writing and professional development activities, which resulted in higher grant submis­sion rates.Ethn Dis. 2021;31(4):559-566; doi:10.18865/ed.31.4.559


Author(s):  
Sheri Vasinda ◽  
Faryl Kander ◽  
Adrienne Redmond-Sanogo

This chapter discusses the findings of an exploration to integrate iPads in a university reading and mathematics clinic impacting three groups of learners: preservice teachers enrolled in reading and mathematics practicums, the K-8 community students served by the clinic, and the teacher educators. The TPACK model was used as a conceptual framework for teacher educators to engage and support preservice teachers in a technology rich learning environment designed to enhance their literacy and mathematics content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and technology knowledge, and the complex intersections between each. The teacher educators expected their mostly digital native preservice teachers to recognize technology affordances and technology integration opportunities when provided content knowledge and pedagogical support. Although the K-8 tutees were engaged at high-levels, faculty's assumption of the digital native preservice teacher was disrupted. Teacher educators discovered that digital natives still need support in developing technological knowledge in an educational setting.


Author(s):  
Sheri Vasinda ◽  
Faryl Kander ◽  
Adrienne Redmond-Sanogo

This chapter discusses the findings of an exploration to integrate iPads in a university reading and mathematics clinic impacting three groups of learners: preservice teachers enrolled in reading and mathematics practicums, the K-8 community students served by the clinic, and the teacher educators. The TPACK model was used as a conceptual framework for teacher educators to engage and support preservice teachers in a technology rich learning environment designed to enhance their literacy and mathematics content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and technology knowledge, and the complex intersections between each. The teacher educators expected their mostly digital native preservice teachers to recognize technology affordances and technology integration opportunities when provided content knowledge and pedagogical support. Although the K-8 tutees were engaged at high-levels, faculty's assumption of the digital native preservice teacher was disrupted. Teacher educators discovered that digital natives still need support in developing technological knowledge in an educational setting.


Author(s):  
Lambros Stefanou ◽  
Niki Tsangaridou ◽  
Charalambos Y. Charalambous ◽  
Leonidas Kyriakides

Purpose: Teacher content knowledge (CK) and its contribution to student achievement (SA) are understudied in physical education, especially concerning the examination of the effectiveness of professional development (PD) programs using direct measures of teachers’ CK and SA. To make progress in this research area, this study investigated the contribution of a content-focused PD program to teachers’ CK and SA in basketball, using direct measures thereof. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was utilized to examine the contribution of a PD program. The authors measured the CK of 52 elementary classroom teachers and their fifth or sixth grade students’ (n = 913) achievement in basketball before and after the PD program. The data were analyzed using unilevel and multilevel regression analyses. Results: Teachers who participated in the PD program exhibited higher learning gains in their CK; their students also exhibited higher learning gains. Discussion and Conclusion: The study findings suggest that PD programs focused on enhancing teachers’ CK might also support SA.


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