Transcript The Role Performing Undergraduate Research plays toward

The Role Performing Undergraduate
Research plays toward Becoming a
Reflective Practitioner
Dawn Del Carlo
Leah Isbell
Holly Hinkhouse
19th BCCE, Purdue University
August 1, 2006
Undergrad Research in Science
□ Research on the effects and benefits
of undergraduate research in the
sciences is gaining in popularity
(Seymour, 2004).
□ However, a similar trend does not exist
in teacher education.
The Reflective Practitioner
□ Teaching and learning are sciences that use
(Dewey, 1910):
□ Grounded theory
□ Quantification
□ Observation
□ Learning to teach and learning to inquire
are inseparable (Cochran-Smith & Lytle,
1993)
□ Leads to the idea of Teacher-as-Researcher
Teaching the act of Reflection
□ Analyses of current status in teacher ed.
□ Valli, L. Ed. (1992) Reflective Teacher Education: Cases and
Critiques
□ Pedro, J. (2005) Reflective Practice 6(1), 49-66
□ Jay, J.K. & Johnson, K.L., (2002) Teaching and Teacher Education
18, 73-85
□ Clarke, A. (1994) Int. J. Sci. Educ. 16(5) 497-509
□ Textbooks
□ Henderson (1992) Reflective Teaching: Becoming an Inquiring
Educator
□ Reagan, Case, & Brubacher (2000) Becoming a Reflective
Educator: How to Build a Culture of Inquiry in the Schools
□ Parsons & Brown (2002) Teacher as Reflective Practitioner and
Action Researcher
□ Academic texts
□ Schon (1990) Educating the Reflective Practitioner
□ Schon (1991) The Reflective Turn: Case Studies in and on
Educational Practice
□ Zeichner & Liston (1996) Reflective Teaching: An Introduction
□ Russell & Hugh, Eds. (1992) Teachers & Teaching: From Classroom
to Reflection
Types of Reflection
Type of Reflection
Content (what)
Quality (how)
Technical
General Instruction and
management behaviors based
on research on teaching
Matching one’s own
performance to external
guidelines
In- and On-action
One’s own personal teaching
performance
Basing decisions on one’s
own unique situation
Deliberative
Range of teaching concerns
including students, curriculum,
instructional strategies, rules, and
organization of the classroom
Weighing competing
viewpoints and research
findings
Personalistic
One’s own personal growth and
relationships with students
Listening to and trusting one’s
own inner voice and the
voices of others
Social, moral and political
dimensions of schooling
Judging the goals and
purposes of schooling in light
of ethical criteria such as
social justice and equality of
opportunity
Critical
From: Valli, L. (1997), Peabody J. of Ed. 72(1), 67-88.
Grounded Theory Approach to
Qualitative Research
□ Purpose “is to specify the conditions that
give rise to specific sets of action/interaction
pertaining to a phenomenon and the
resulting consequences.” (Strauss & Corbin,
1990, p. 251)
□ Techniques and procedures include:
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Planning
Observing
Questioning (e.g. surveys, interviews)
Coding and making connections
Drawing Conclusions
Summer 2005 Students
□ Leah
□ Senior – Student teaching Fall 2005
□ Chemistry/Spanish double major with teaching certification
□ Participated in chemistry research the previous summer
□ Holly
□ Jr/Sr – Student teaching Spring 2006
□ Chemistry teaching major with Physical Science
endorsement
□ First research experience
□ Both excellent and highly motivated students
□ I supplied selected readings on qualitative research
methods and our specific projects at the beginning
of the summer
The Projects
□ General Chemistry laboratory
development/modification
□ Development of a study of science
teacher graduates
□ Researching the undergraduate
Summer Research Experience in
Chemistry (SREC)
Study of Teaching Graduates
□ UNI science teacher preparation
heavily based in methods of inquiry.
□ Studies show that most new teachers
do not implement inquiry methods*.
□ This study is meant to determine what
methods our graduates are using in
their first few years and why.
*
Adams & Krockover, 1997; Black, 2004; Brickhouse, 1992; Eick & Reed, 2001;
Loughran, 1994; Volkmann & Anderson, 1997
Project development Methods
□ Review literature and determine
existing themes
□ Chose a theoretical perspective
□ Develop guiding research questions
□ Examine and select research methods
□ Obtain contact information for alumni
Undergraduate SREC
□ Recent call for more “authentic” classroom
experiences for undergraduates majoring in
science.
□ First step is to determine what makes an
experience authentic.
□ What is the essence of the undergraduate
research experience in chemistry from the
students’ perspective?
□ Project design and methodology predetermined.
□ Holly and Leah carried out data collection,
analysis and presentation.
Research Methods for SREC
□ Nature of Science Questionnaire*
given at the beginning and end of the
10 week summer research session
□ Electronic Journal questions sent
weekly to each participant
□ Semi-structured Interviews conducted
during weeks one, five, and ten.
*Adapted
from NOS survey used by Cartrette, D., Miller, M. South Dakota State
University, NSF-REU
Technical Reflection
□ Description in Teaching Practices
□ Dominant mode of reflection taught in teacher
ed. programs
□ Outside “expert” researcher’s voice is dominant;
teacher tries to match it
□ Evident in Research Practices
□ I supplied background literature, goals of project,
and for the SREC project the methods to be used
□ Planning strategy for Teaching Grads study
□ Developing questions
□ Choosing theoretical framework
□ Determining appropriate methods
Reflection-in- and on-action
□ Description in Teaching Practices
□ Reflection pertaining to one’s actions after the
fact (on-action) or while they are happening (inaction)
□ Stems from one’s own personal experience and
unique situation
□ Own voice is considered the “expert”
□ Evident in Research Practices
□ Interviewing (in-action): Semi-structured so some
spontaneous questioning
□ Transcription (on-action): Forced to “re-hash”
their own questioning skills and content of
interviews
Deliberative Reflection
□ Description in Teaching Practices
□ Decisions based on multiple sources: research,
experience, advice, personal beliefs, etc…
□ No one voice dominates; weigh competing
viewpoints
□ Evident in Research Practices
□ Coding and re-coding
□ Must stay focused on original questions
□ We as a group discussed personal/professional
domain
Personalistic Reflection
□ Description in Teaching Practices
□ Reflection not limited to professional issues but
also the personal growth of students
□ Requires listening to own inner voice and the
personal voice of others
□ Evident in Research Practices
□ In this case, Holly and Leah knew the participants
of the SREC
□ Often act as sounding board/therapist for
participants
□ Understanding their own lens vs. those of their
participants
Critical Reflection
□ Description in Teaching Practices
□ Goes beyond simply understanding but to
improve the quality of life of others
□ Examines even simple action and conflicting
points of view with regard to broad moral and
ethical social goals
□ Evident in Research Practices
□ Comes into play with conclusions drawn from the
data and implications for future practice
□ Goes beyond simply reporting what the data
says
Research and Reflection
□ Not really the same thing? (i.e. because the
content is different, the practices will be
compartmentalized)
□ When asked neither Holly nor Leah felt that the
coding a data analysis processes were useful for
teaching
□ Both agreed that the interviewing helped them
with their questioning and listening skills
□ So far, only student and substitute teaching
experiences…follow up after this fall
Acknowledgements
□ Holly and Leah
□ Participants in the UNI-SREC