Science

In the Classrooms of Newly Hired Secondary Science Teachers: The Consequences of Teaching In-field or Out-of-field

Science
Disciplinary Content Knowledge
Pedagogical Content Knowledge
Professional Development
Teacher Practice
High

Science teachers must sometimes teach outside of their expertise, and this type of teaching assignment is referred to as being out-of-field. Among newly hired teachers, this type of assignment may have a detrimental impact in the development of their instruction. This study explored the classroom instruction of 17 newly hired teachers who were teaching both in-field and out-of-field in the physical sciences during their first three years.

Access Link: 
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1046560X.2020.1800195
Author/Presenter: 
Jessica B. Napier
Julie A. Luft
Harleen Singh
Lead Organization(s): 
University of Georgia (UGA)
Year: 
2020
Short Description: 

Science teachers must sometimes teach outside of their expertise, and this type of teaching assignment is referred to as being out-of-field. Among newly hired teachers, this type of assignment may have a detrimental impact in the development of their instruction. This study explored the classroom instruction of 17 newly hired teachers who were teaching both in-field and out-of-field in the physical sciences during their first three years.

Out-of-Field Teaching in Science

Science
Professional Development
Teacher Practice
Elementary
Middle

Special issue of the Journal of Science Teacher Education focused on out-of-field teaching in science.

Luft, J. A., Hobbs. L., & Hanuscin, D. (Eds.) (2020). Special issue: Out-of-field teaching in science. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 31(7), 719-820.

Access Link: 
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/uste20/31/7?nav=tocList
Author/Presenter: 
Julie A. Luft
Linda Hobbs
Deborah Hanuscin
Lead Organization(s): 
University of Georgia (UGA)
Year: 
2020
Short Description: 

Special issue of the Journal of Science Teacher Education focused on out-of-field teaching in science.

Taking STEM Enrichment Camps Virtual: Strategies & Reflections from Quick Pivot Due to COVID-19

Engineering
Science
Technology
Broadening Participation
Gaming/Virtual Environments
Middle

Since COVID-19 began spreading in the US and quickly established as a global pandemic in March of 2020, the NSF-funded STEM SEALS team at North Florida College faced the touch decision to either

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Author/Presenter: 
Rebecca Zulli Lowe
Adrienne Smith
Christie Prout
G. G. Maresch
Christopher Bacot
Lura Sapp
Bill Eustace
Lead Organization(s): 
North Florida Community College (NFCC)
Year: 
2021
Short Description: 

This exploratory study aimed to (1) identify the  barriers to moving STEM enrichment programming in a rural environment from in-person to virtual activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) describe key decisions that were made in transitioning to the virtual format along with the rationale behind those decisions, and (3) disseminate best practices that emerged from the inaugural effort.

Resource(s): 
PDF icon Submission_3.9.2021.pdf

A Practice-Based Online Learning Environment for Scientific Inquiry with Digitized Museum Collections in Middle School Classrooms

Principal Investigator: 
Kirsten Butcher

EPIC Bioscience engages middle school students in authentic scientific practices via NGSS-aligned investigations of museum specimens. Students complete interactive activities to build prior knowledge and context, then use digitized specimens to collect and analyze relevant data. Findings are applied to pressing global issues such as biodiversity loss, geographic range changes in populations, and diminishing resources. Key challenges in the development of online, specimen-based science investigations are addressed using example interactions and analyses from EPIC investigations.

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Discipline / Topic: 
Science
Cognitive Science
Educational Technology
Target Audience: 
Middle School

Understanding the Role of Lesson Study in K-12 Mathematics and Science Teacher Education

Principal Investigator: 
Sharon Dotger

This working conference brought together 34 science and mathematics teacher educators from 25 institutions across 17 states and territories. Our purpose was to collaboratively build knowledge about utilizing lesson study as a mechanism to support pre-service teacher learning. We discussed essential features of lesson study, design features of teacher education programs that enhance or inhibit lesson study practice, and the implications of lesson study for partnership with schools and colleagues.

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Discipline / Topic: 
Mathematics
Science
Target Audience: 
Post-secondary

Developing and Validating Assessments to Measure and Build Elementary Teachers' Content Knowledge for Teaching about Matter and Its Interactions within Teacher Education Settings (Collaborative Research: Hanuscin)

Principal Investigator: 
Deborah Hanuscin

This is an NSF-funded collaborative Early-Stage Design and Development project of the Educational Testing Service and Western Washington University. Our focus is on developing assessment measures and instructional materials related to content knowledge for teaching (CKT) about matter and its interactions. In this poster, we'll share development work on educative curriculum materials for teacher educators that have been designed to support the development of pre-service elementary teachers' CKT.

Co-PI(s): Emily Borda and Dan Hanley, Western Washington University

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Discipline / Topic: 
Science
Assessment
Disciplinary Content Knowledge
Professional Development
Target Audience: 
Post-secondary

Design and Development of Transmedia Narrative-based Curricula to Engage Children in Scientific Thinking and Engineering Design (Collaborative Research: Ellis and McGinnis-Cavanaugh)

Principal Investigator: 
Glenn Ellis
Beth McGinnis-Cavanaugh
Transforming Engineering Education in Middle Schools (TEEMS) is an NGSS-aligned middle school curriculum that utilizes heroic stories to engage students in learning engineering and science concepts.
 
Our curriculum consists of multiweek units covering Principles of Engineering Design and Materials, Tools, and Manufacturing,  as well as six shorter integrated engineering/science lessons.
 
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Discipline / Topic: 
Engineering
Science
Assessment
Broadening Participation
Cognitive Science
Curriculum
Disciplinary Content Knowledge
Professional Development
Target Audience: 
Middle School

STEM Sea, Air, and Land Remotely Operated Vehicle Design Challenges for Rural, Middle School Youth

Principal Investigator: 
Guenter Maresch
STEM SEALs builds collaborative partnerships between North Florida College and local middle schools to bolster STEM pathways for students in this region. It involves the development of inexpensive, rigorous, and versatile design challenges to expose rural middle school students to high quality STEM experiences. Researchers study the feasibility and efficacy of these experiences to promote greater awareness of STEM pathways, increase readiness for STEM study; and generate student identity as STEM-able, STEM-skilled, and STEM-belonging.
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Discipline / Topic: 
Computer Science
Engineering
Mathematics
Science
Technology
Curriculum
Target Audience: 
Middle School

Developing a Modeling Orientation to Science: Teaching and Learning Variability and Change in Ecosystems (Collaborative Research: Lehrer, Miller, and Peake)

Principal Investigator: 
Richard Lehrer
Alison Miller
Leigh Peake

We are investigating the development of middle-schoolers' understandings and practices of modeling in the context of investigations of variability and change in ecosystems. We are studying how and to what extent students' participation in distinct forms of modeling informs their classroom-based citizen science investigations.

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Discipline / Topic: 
Science
Cognitive Science
Curriculum
Disciplinary Content Knowledge
Professional Development
Target Audience: 
Middle School

Science Communities of Practice Partnership

Principal Investigator: 
Kathryn Hayes

Despite widespread agreement about the importance of teacher professional development (PD), translating what is learned in PD to classroom practice remains challenging. Guided by Self Determination Theory, this study examines how PD facilitators, including pedagogical coaches and university faculty, support the three basic needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness for teachers' intrinsic motivation as learners in PD focused on reform-based science instruction. Study findings include high-leverage practices that facilitators can use to support teacher motivation.

Click image to preview: 
Image of Poster
Discipline / Topic: 
Science
Broadening Participation
Professional Development
Target Audience: 
Elementary School

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