Exploring the impact of pedagogic approaches in technology practice upon the construction of feminine identity

Females participate to a limited extent in science, engineering and technology (SET) industries that are central to innovation and building national economies. The causes of this under representation, in part, have their roots embedded in how females perceive school mathematics, science and technology subjects as being inconsistent with their gender identity. A participatory action research methodology was used to investigate the effect of two different pedagogical approaches for teaching middle school mathematics and science through technology practice on female students’ attitudes to SET. Quantitative and qualitative data related to enjoyment, intention to undertake further such study, perceived usefulness and interest in career options involving SET, and perceptions of the investigative nature of the two approaches, were sought using, interviews, classroom observations, and a modified survey instrument. The findings indicated that female students responded in a more positive manner when careful scaffolding and the establishment of explicit linkages between the construction activity and mathematics principles were part of the pedagogical approach. In addition, there were specific types of projects that females found authentic. The implications of these findings for SET syllabus authors, pre- and inservice teacher educators, and classroom teachers are explored

Origins of, and changes in preservice teachers' science teaching self efficacy

This paper reports on a part of a study of factors that contribute to science anxiety and science teaching self efficacy among preservice primary and early childhood teachers. It draws upon our experiences over four years with preservice primary and early childhood teachers at an Australian University. Primary teachers are responsible for the inclusion of science instruction in years 1-7 while the early childhood teachers should provide science experiences for children in child care, kindergarten, preschool and the early years of primary school. Science anxiety presumably develops through negative and limited experiences and impacts on people's interests and beliefs about science and, for preservice teachers, their confidence to teach science. Preservice training of teachers is an opportunity to provide positive experiences that may enhance student teachers' beliefs that they may become effective science teachers. Thus, the experiences and beliefs of primary and early childhood preservice teachers were explored in an ethnographic research tradition. In all 366 students from four cohorts were studied. Two of these cohorts were undertaking a content oriented Science Foundations course that focused on matter and energy concepts. A third cohort undertook a Science Curriculum course that concentrated on science teaching methods and the fourth cohort represented a smaller group of post-baccalaureate students who completed a combined content-methods course. Students' self efficacy, attitudes to science, perceptions of their University learning environment were measured at the commencement and conclusion of the semester of study and selected students were interviewed at various stages of the one semester course. The salient outcomes revealed that personal science teaching self efficacy was associated with negative high school experiences and could be improved in situations where individual students experienced support and an appropriate learning environment. Outcome expectancy also could be improved through experiences in which students successfully implemented teaching programs to children. Analysis of qualitative data revealed interesting contrasts between students. A series of assertions about the causative factors that may influence the development of students' sense of self efficacy were derived from an analysis of the data

Setting the environment for life-long learning: Collaborative and authentic learning practices in primary science teacher education

The rapid growth in knowledge over recent times has meant that teachers have to be responsive to new and ever changing demands of society. Science is among those key areas of knowledge that has experienced overwhelming growth and thus developing scientific literacy is a priority if citizens are to participate effectively in society. Failure to develop children’s interest in science will disempower a generation of children in an era when scientific knowledge is at the foundation of our culture. Unfortunately, many primary teachers express a lack of confidence in their ability to teach science with dire consequences for the quality of teaching. This paper reports a study involving a cohort of 161 primary preservice teachers in the third year of a four-year Bachelor of Education course studying science education. An instructional program that addressed five essential dimensions of meaningful learning – the knowledge base, metacognition, motivation, individual differences and context – was implemented. Quantitative and qualitative data obtained through surveys, observations and focus session reviews revealed that a learning environment based on social constructivist perspectives was effective in developing students’ conceptual and pedagogical knowledge, and most importantly enhanced students’ sense of science teaching self-efficacy. Particular initiatives that were identified by students of value were collaborative learning and associated strategies, reflective journal writing, and assignment tasks that adopted principles of problem based learning. While statistically significant gains in science teaching self efficacy (p < .001) were observed overall, qualitative data provided a more detailed analysis of the changes in motivations and goals of individual student teachers. The paper explores how the experiences develop the confidence and will to teach science in primary school and how opportunities were provided that empowered the student teachers to be proactive seekers of knowledge – lifelong learners

Inquiry science: Issues in the implementation of a community of learners

This paper reports the problems of a researcher-teacher attempting to meet the challenge of inquiry learning in grade 8 science. The research was conducted in two classes the first being a class of 32 students taught over a term. During these 27 lessons, students were engaged in investigating the establishment of a space colony on Mars. The second class was taught the following year for six weeks during which students were engaged in a range of problems associated with the properties of matter. Issues concerning problems of scaffolding, group dynamics and goal direction that were identified in the first study were addressed in the second study. Analysis of videotapes of the lessons, survey data and interviews with the participants which included the regular classroom teacher provided insights into the dynamics of establishing a community of learners, and identified constraints and expectations held by stakeholders of what science teaching should be about. The implications for teaching science using these pedagogical practices are examined

Development of a learning community in a science classroom

Extensive research has shown that school practices in teaching science are alien to the routine processes of scientific endeavour in the real world and hence school science lacks interest for many students. Advocates of authentic science argue that school science should seek to redress this situation through the development of the discourse of science manifested in such notions as a community of learners. This paper reports on a study that explored pedagogical practices that emphasised the collaborative and communal nature of knowledge construction in science. The challenge was to develop strategies by which students become effective learners of science and enculturated into a community of scientific practice. A science program was conducted in a grade 8 class of 32 students over a term. During these 27 lessons, students were engaged in exploring ways of colonising Mars and investigating the planning and establishment of a space colony on Mars. Analysis of videotapes of the lessons, survey data and interviews with the participants provided insights into the dynamics of establishing a community of learners, and identified constraints and expectations held by stakeholders of what science teaching should be about. The implications for teaching science using these pedagogical practices are examined

Developing motivation to teach elementary science: Effect of collaborative and authentic learning practices in preservice education

The rapid growth in knowledge over recent times has meant that teachers have to be responsive to new and ever changing demands of society. Science is among those key areas of knowledge that has experienced overwhelming growth and thus developing scientific literacy is a priority if citizens are to participate effectively in society. Failure to develop children’s interest in science will disempower a generation of children in an era when scientific knowledge is at the foundation of our culture. Unfortunately, many elementary teachers express a lack of confidence in their ability to teach science with dire consequences for the quality of teaching. This paper reports a study involving a cohort of 161 elementary preservice teachers in the third year of a four-year Bachelor of Education program enrolled in a core science education (methods) course. An instructional program that addressed five essential dimensions of meaningful learning – the knowledge base, metacognition, motivation, individual differences and context – was implemented. Quantitative and qualitative data obtained through surveys, observations and focus session reviews revealed that a learning environment based on social constructivist perspectives was effective in developing students’ conceptual and pedagogical knowledge, and most importantly enhanced students’ sense of science teaching self-efficacy. Particular initiatives that were identified by students as being of value were collaborative learning and associated strategies, reflective journal writing, and assignment tasks that adopted principles of problem based learning. While statistically significant gains in science teaching self-efficacy (p < .001) were observed overall, qualitative data enabled a more detailed analysis of the changes in motivations and goals of individual student teachers. The paper explores how the experiences developed their confidence and will to teach science in elementary school and how opportunities were provided that empowered the student teachers to be proactive seekers of knowledge and become lifelong learners

College MOON Project Australia: Preservice Teachers Learning about the Moon’s Phases

This paper is a report of the Australian segment of an international multi-campus project centred on improving understanding of the Moon’s phases for preservice teachers. Instructional strategies adopted for a science education subject enabled Australian participants to make extended observations of the Moon’s phases and keep observational data records which were shared in asynchronous on-line discussion with fellow preservice teachers in the USA. An adaptation of an online inventory of lunar phases was completed by participants before and after the observation cycle. The analysis of inventory data showed that although there was statistically significant overall improvement in mean scores for the inventory this could be accounted for by statistically significant increases in only some conceptual domains related to the lunar phases. In addition, the findings indicate that some concepts involved in having a deep understanding of lunar phases can be improved by instruction however, misunderstandings of other concepts involved in lunar phases are difficult to change and may require increased attention to developing students’ visual-spatial capabilities

An in-depth study of a teacher engaged in an innovative primary science trial professional development project

The implementation of effective science programmes in primary schools is of continuing interest and concern for professional developers. As part of the Australian Academy of Science's approach to creating an awareness of Primary Investigations, a project team trialled a series of satellite television broadcasts of lessons related to two units of the curriculum for Year 3 and 4 children in 48 participating schools. The professional development project entitled Simply Science, included a focused component for the respective classroom teachers, which was also conducted by satellite. This paper reports the involvement of a Year 4 teacher in the project and describes her professional growth. Already an experienced and confident teacher, no quantitative changes in science teaching self efficacy were detected. However, her pedagogical content knowledge and confidence to teach science in the concept areas of matter and energy were enhanced. Changes in the teacher's views about the co-operative learning strategies espoused by Primary Investigations were also evident. Implications for the design of professional development programmes for primary science teachers are discussed