scholarly journals In-service Science Teacher Professional Development

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-219
Author(s):  
Niclas Åhman ◽  
Gunilla Gunnarsson ◽  
Inger Edfors

The aim of the present study was to explore teachers’ professional development when using the tool Content Representations (CoRe) to plan a learning study in chemistry, which they also implemented and analysed. The work of six experienced science teachers, all teaching at the 6th to 9th year (age 13 to 16 years), was followed at eight group meetings during one year. The teachers’ discussions during the group meetings were audio and/or video recorded. Recordings were transcribed and a thematic analysis was performed. The results show that two main approaches to teaching emerged in the teachers’ discussions, a pragmatic and a reflective approach, respectively. During the investigation period, the focus of the teachers’ discussions changed, from a predominantly pragmatic approach to a predominantly reflective approach. The results indicate that the work with CoRe and learning study stimulated the teachers to express and discuss their knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards teaching, i.e. promoted their professional development.

Author(s):  
Niclas Åhman ◽  
Gunilla Gunnarsson ◽  
Inger Edfors

Syftet med studien är att klargöra hur lärares professionella utveckling stimuleras då de planerar och genomför en Learning Study (LS) kombinerad med verktyget Content Representation (CoRe). Data består av sex erfarna lärares inspelade diskussioner under åtta träffar då de planerar och analyserar en LS bestående av två lektioner i årkurs 6 inom kemi, samt tre CoRe som lärarna skriver. I början av studien talar lärarna mest om undervisning som att fakta ska förmedlas till eleverna. När de sedan planerar första lektionen övergår deras diskussioner till hur de kan stimulera eleverna till diskussion och reflektion. Lärarna planerar både lektion 1 och 2 utifrån ett variationsteoretiskt perspektiv, men lektion 1 genomförs inte i enlighet med vad de planerat. Det är först i lektion 2 som läraren behåller fokus på lärandeobjektet och dess kritiska aspekter. Resultatet av studien visar även att en Learning Study kombinerad med CoRe stimulerar lärares professionella utveckling och ämnesdidaktiska kompetens i form av lärande nätverk enligt Clarkes och Hollingsworths (2002) modell ”interconnected model of professional growth”. In English: The aim of this study is to explore science teachers’ professional development when they perform a Learning Study (LS), using the tool Content Representations (CoRe). The empirical data consists of six experienced teachers’ audio recorded discussions during eight meetings when they plan and analyse two lectures in chemistry for year 6 (age 12-13 years), and three written CoRe. In the beginning of the study, the teachers talk about teaching and learning mainly as transformation of facts. However, when they plan the first lecture, they discuss how to stimulate students’ discussions and reflections. The teachers planned both lectures according to variation theory. However, only the second lecture is also implemented according to their plan, with a focus on the object of learning. The results show that the combination of CoRe and LS stimulate also experienced teachers’ professional development, through growth networks according to the model "interconnected model of professional growth" (Clarke and Hollingsworth, 2002).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kārlis Greitāns ◽  
◽  
Dace Namsone ◽  

This review study includes 19 articles from 2016 to 2021 focusing on in-service science teachers’ professional development targeted to promote student conceptual understanding. The present study is guided by the following research question: “What characterizes high-quality in-service science teachers’ professional development targeted to promote student conceptual understanding?” The review indicates that such classroom practices as modelling, questioning, and arguing from evidence are perspective ways to develop student conceptual understanding in science classrooms. A mixture of input, application, and reflection; long-term involvement of participants; focus on the question how to foster transfer from teacher professional development into participants’ everyday work characterize high quality teacher professional development interventions that develop and support inquiry practices. Results suggest that teacher professional development that is sensitive to teacher learning needs is a way to develop student conceptual understanding. Keywords: in-service teacher professional development, science teacher education, student conceptual understanding, teacher learning


Author(s):  
Tanya Gupta ◽  
Deborah Herrington ◽  
Ellen J. Yezierski

Researchers have identified several features of effective teacher professional development. Yet, there is little research on long-term Professional Development (PD) programs that provides information on the impact of such programs on in-service teacher experiences and practice during long-term PD. A qualitative case-study approach was used to investigate the impact of the Target Inquiry (TI), a long-term PD program, on change in teacher practice and the factors that support or impede these changes. The TI program is for science teachers who wish to earn a Master of Education focused on advanced content or to complete a 15-credit certificate program. Bell & Gilbert's model of teacher development and Spillane's model of teacher enactment of reforms were used as a frameworks to examine change. Teachers reported that participating in long-term PD, when combined with the necessary tools, resources, and strategies empowered them to embrace an inquiry-based practice.


Author(s):  
Cristina Honrubia Montesinos ◽  
Pedro Gil-Madrona ◽  
Luisa Losada-Puente

Physical education in early years makes a unique contribution to the learning experience of children and support physical, cognitive, and social development. Teacher plays an essential role, but early childhood teacher professional development remains unclear. Literature review has shown that it is influenced by individual and social factors. Teacher professional development may have an impact on student motor development in this stage. The objectives of this chapter were to study early childhood teachers' professional development in PE and to analyze the influence and impact of early childhood teachers' professional development on their students' motor development. This chapter describes the results and conclusions of two different studies which have been developed. They highlighted that the variables that affect professional development are initial training and professional development, external perception of physical education, and personal perspective. Furthermore, findings have revealed that these three variables condition their students' motor development most.


Author(s):  
Murat Günel ◽  
Melike Özer-Keskin ◽  
Nilay Keskin-Samancı

This chapter concerns the importance of in-service training programmes for the professional development of science teachers. A description will be given of the general structure of in-service training activities in Turkey and the results will be presented of an in-service training project, which was conducted as part of a three-year longitudinal study. Within the scope of the project, an in-service training programme for science teachers was conducted based on the argument-based inquiry approach and the theoretical premises upon which it is built. The project aimed to direct science teachers towards student-centred teaching. The training activities focused on the scientific thinking underpinning the teachers' professional knowledge and practices, their perceptions on learning, and their pedagogical practices and epistemological beliefs. The extent to which these activities affected classroom applications and learning processes was investigated and the findings suggest that they had a statistically significant impact on the teachers' pedagogical development and on the students' academic performance and thinking skills.


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