Looking for PCK in All the Wrong Places? Janet Carlson, BSCS Joseph A. Taylor, BSCS NSF DRK12 PI Meeting November 2009

What are Your Experiences? Measuring PCK? What instruments? What successes? What challenges?

Project PRIME Promoting Reform through Instructional Materials that Educate Collaborative project with the Center for Research and Evaluation at BSCS and the Center for Science Teaching and Learning at NAU Funded by NSF in 2004 through the Teacher Professional Continuum (TPC) program Goal: Study PCK growth in teachers who implement highly educative curriculum materials with and without professional development. Correlate to student achievement.

PRIME Time Line Time line for Cohort 1 Summer 05 (2 wks) Spring 05 School Year Summer 06 (3 wks) School Year Time line for Cohort 2 Summer 06 (2 wks) Spring 06 School Year Summer 07 (3 wks) School Year HS biology teachers in Arizona

PRIME Research Questions 1.In what ways does Project PRIME influence participants’ development of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK)? 2. In what ways does Project PRIME influence participants’ Content knowledge (CK) Subject matter, Inquiry, Nature of Science Pedagogical knowledge (PK) Teaching strategies Context knowledge (CxK) Student conceptions, diverse learners 3. Is the whole of PCK similar to or different from its parts (CK, PK, CxK)? If so, how?

PRIME Research Questions 4a. How does student learning change over time? 4b. What is the relationship between participants’ PCK and their students’ learning? 5. In what ways does Project PRIME influence the development and sustainability of a professional learning community?

Where’s the PCK? Given the structure of the project, what opportunities do you think exist for measuring PCK?

Measurements 1.PCK Reflections (CK, PK, CxK, PCK) 2.Structured Interviews (CK, PK, CxK, PCK) 3.Videotapes of Classroom Instruction (CK, PK, CxK, PCK, Fidelity) 4.Major Field Test for Biology (ETS) (CK) 5.Reform Teaching Observation Protocol (CK, PK, CxK) 6.Student Achievement 7.Student Work 8.Professional Learning Community Rating Scale

Data Collection Schedule 1.Baseline, prior to program start 2.Following summer professional development 3.Following professional development and teaching the topic once or following teaching without professional development 4.Teaching followed by professional development in summer 2 5.Following professional development and teaching the topic twice or teaching in year 1, followed by professional development and teaching in year 2

Topics for PCK Reflections Arizona StandardReflection Topic The CellTransport mechanisms HeredityProtein synthesis InterdependenceCarrying capacity EvolutionNatural selection Matter, Energy, and Organization Photosynthesis

Studying the Scoring Rubric 1.Review your assigned page of the rubric. Consider this question: –What evidence would you expect to see in a video or written reflection to rate it “advanced”? 2.Share your thoughts with the large group.

Looking at the Evidence – Baseline 1.Read the baseline reflection on the yellow sheet. 2.Score it on the rubric by placing a “B-DR” in each appropriate box. 3.Discuss your scores with the others at your table. 4.Read the baseline reflection on the green sheet. 5.Score it on the rubric by placing a “B-DS” in each appropriate box. 6.Discuss your scores with the others at your table.

Context for Video

Looking at the Evidence – 1 st Reflection Post Intervention (PD and teaching) 1.Watch the video of Dwight. 2.Score it on the rubric by placing a “PDT-DR” in each appropriate box. 3.Discuss your scores with your group. 4.Watch the video of Donna. 5.Score it on the rubric by placing a “PDT-DS” in each appropriate box. 6.Discuss your scores with your group.

Looking at the Evidence – Last Reflection 1.Read the last reflection on the yellow sheet. 2.Score it on the rubric by placing a “PDTT-DR” in each appropriate box. 3.Discuss results with your group. 4.Read the last reflection on the green sheet. 5.Score it on the rubric by placing a “PDTT-DS” in each appropriate box. 6.Discuss results with your group.

Discussion Questions What challenges did you find working with the data? What challenges did you find using the rubric? How did the data in the form of written reflection compare to seeing data in video format? What promises do you see for measuring PCK? What questions do you have now?

Thank you To contact us –Janet Carlson –Joe Taylor Slides are available at bscs.org/sessions (click on the link for “previous BSCS sessions”)bscs.org/sessions Paper reviewing biology curriculum materials is available at Beyer, C., Delgado, C., Davis, E.A., and Krajcik, J.S. (April, 2006). Investigating high school biology texts as educative curriculum materials: Curriculum review process. Report commissioned by Project PRIME