Transcript Document

Teacher Research Experiences
What We Have Learned and
What We Need to Know
Gail Scowcroft and Chris Knowlton
Graduate School of Oceanography
University of Rhode Island
AGU FM 2006
Teacher Research Experiences
Teachers involved in scientific research have
observed changes in their own teaching practices,
particularly in:
• encouraging the skills of scientific inquiry
• increasing student curiosity and openness to new
ideas and data
• incorporating technology
• identifying and using resources outside the school
• selecting and adapting curricula
• challenging students to accept and share
responsibility for their own learning.
(Alters, 1998; Gilmer, 1999; Kielborn, 1999; Redfield, 2000)
AGU FM 2006
Teacher Research Experiences
Through the renewal and
enhancement that a Teacher
Research Experience offers,
teachers become capable
and motivated to challenge
their classes.
(Dea,
2000)
AGU FM 2006
Teacher Research Experiences
Teachers can make
connections between "cutting
edge" research and the
classroom curriculum when the
scientists themselves
communicate about their own
research.
(Glasson and Bently, 2000)
AGU FM 2006
Teacher Research Experiences
The TRE model of professional
development is closely aligned with the
seminal work of Loucks-Horsley et al.
(1998) that delineates winning
strategies for science and mathematics
teachers’ professional development.
AGU FM 2006
Teacher Research Experiences
Most Effective Teacher Professional
Development Model Strategies
1. Immersion into inquiry in science
2. Immersion into the world of scientists
3. Coaching and mentoring
4. Partnerships with scientists and
universities
5. Professional networks
6. Workshops and institutes
(from Loucks-Horsley et al. 1998)
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Teacher Research Experiences
TREs help teachers become
users of research as part of
a new culture of education.
(Ovens, 2000)
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Teacher Research Experiences
Research shows that teacher expertise
can account for approximately 40% of
the variance on students’ learning in
reading and mathematics achievement
— more than any other single factor
including student background.
(Rhoton and Stiles, 2002)
AGU FM 2006
Teacher Research Experiences
After controlling for student background
variables, the classrooms to which students
are assigned in a given year account for
approximately 60% of the reliable variance in
student academic growth in reading and
mathematics. (Rowan et al. 2002)
However, the magnitude of teacher influence,
specifically that resulting from teacher
professional development, is difficult to tease
out of the classroom variable.
AGU FM 2006
Teacher Research Experiences
Other studies show a similar correlation
between teacher expertise and student
achievement across the subject areas.
Teacher content-area knowledge, as
related to the number of content classes
taken, has also been shown to have
positive effects on student achievement.
(Darling-Hammond, et al. 1995)
AGU FM 2006
Teacher Research Experiences
In research across a wide diversity of
teachers to determine why master
teachers remained in their profession, it
has been discovered that, a common
burning need is intellectual stimulation
and challenges outside the classroom.
(Williams, 2003)
AGU FM 2006
Teacher Research Experiences
Identified Best Practices
• Pre-research experience training and content
instruction for teachers
• Institutional buy-in (i.e. school districts, principals,
science supervisors, etc.)
• Mentor training for teachers and scientists
• Mentoring plan: scientist  teacher and
teacher  teacher
• Post-TRE access to resources for teachers:
materials on-line, network of colleagues, and
communication with scientists
• Support for classroom transfer
• External evaluation and input from evaluator from
the time of project design
AGU FM 2006
Teacher Research Experiences
80%
Evaluation
N=30
40%
0%
Project staff
design and
conduct
project
Evaluation
Project staff
implement
external
evaluator’s
plan and
analyze data
Project Staff
implement
external eval.
plan and
evaluator
analyzes data
External
evaluator
conducts
entire eval.
Plan
AGU FM 2006
Teacher Research Experiences
a
Post-TRE classroom
observations
Pre- and post-TRE
surveys/tests of teachers
Pre- and post-TRE
surveys/tests of students
Measuring Impacts
on Student Achievement
N=30
Standardized student test
scores
Teacher reports
0%
30
60
90
AGU FM 2006
Teacher Research Experiences
Identified Needs
• Need to identify/develop tools and strategies
for effective evaluation of project components
(especially for indirect participants)
• Need to incorporate teachers into the scientific
community (not just provide a research
experience)
• Need for institutional buy-in: assists project
sustainability, encourages community building,
and improves facilities
• Need for more inter-project collaborations
AGU FM 2006
Teacher Research Experiences
Need for empirical research to measure:
• content gains made by teachers
• teacher and student gains in science process skills
• changes in teacher self-efficacy
• changes in teachers’ pedagogical skills
• curricula changes, especially in the increase of
scientific research and process methods
• increases in inquiry-based and laboratory activities
• gains in student achievement
• longitudinal changes such as teacher retention and
student decisions beyond high school
AGU FM 2006
Teacher Research Experiences
Need to Measure Value Added
Research shows that involving teachers
in research experiences often improves
the scientists' communication skills and
helps them to develop new skills now
needed by scientists in interacting with
the public (Chennel, 1999).
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Teacher Research Experiences
Must improve the
evaluation of professional
development with
scientifically sound
statistical instruments.
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Teacher Research Experiences
Council of Chief State School Officers - project to assist
states in improving evaluation of teacher professional
development that is aimed at math and science teachers.
• listing of currently available tools (Nov. 2005) to help in
evaluation that focus on
- professional development activities
- teacher knowledge and skills
- change in instruction
- analyzing effects on student achievement
• annotated bibliography of research reports in the
areas of evaluation tools and designs (March 2006)
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Teacher Research Experiences
Council of Chief State School Officers project web site:
http://www.ccsso.org/projects/improving_evaluation_of
_professional_development/
AGU FM 2006
Teacher Research Experiences
Thank you!
[email protected]
AGU FM 2006