Building the Continuum: Beginning Teacher Research Julie Luft Arizona State University

Secondary Science Teachers Pre-service TeachersIn-service TeachersInduction Teachers

Continuum of Teacher Learning PreserviceInductionCPD 1. Examine beliefs critically in relation to vision of good teaching 2. Develop subject matter knowledge 3. Develop an understanding of learners, learning, and issues of diversity 4. Develop a beginning repertoire 5. Develop the tools and dispositions to study teaching 1. Learn the context -- students, curriculum, school community 2. Design a responsive instructional program 3. Create a classroom learning community 4. Enact a beginning repertoire 5. Develop a professional identity 1. Extend and deepen subject matter knowledge for teaching 2. Extend and refine repertoire in curriculum, instruction, and assessment 3. Strengthen skills and dispositions to study and improve teaching 4. Expand responsibilities and develop leadership skills

International Research  Induction varies greatly  Mentoring is well-researched  Discussions about programs  Discussions about changes in policy and the impact on beginning teachers  Induction for science teachers is becoming important

Making a better wheel

Research that is Worthwhile  Longitudinal studies  Studies from the perspective of those in staff development  Studies on context and settings  Studies relative to the cognitive side of teachers

Qualities of the research  Phase 1 Research – Studies on programs program and participants/proof of conceptprogram and participants/proof of concept  Phase 2 Research – Studies on programs in multiple sites programs, participants, facilitators/well-described programprograms, participants, facilitators/well-described program  Phase 3 Research – Studies on different programs at different comparative field sites/effects and resourcescomparative field sites/effects and resources

Distractions

Research Distractions  Reactionary Research “we need to keep our teachers, what can we do?” “we need to keep our teachers, what can we do?”  Personalization of Data Findings are based on what we think should happen Findings are based on what we think should happen  Opportunistic Research Studies that are not in a line of research Studies that are not in a line of research  Research that doesn’t attend to science teachers

Example - Longitudinal Studies  Questions How do different induction programs impact the beliefs, practices, and knowledge (NOS, PCK, content knowledge) of beginning secondary science teachers? How do different induction programs impact the beliefs, practices, and knowledge (NOS, PCK, content knowledge) of beginning secondary science teachers?

Data Collection & Analysis Pre- Interviews School Year Observation s School Year Records of Practice School Year Open- ended Interviews Post- Interview s Beliefs, Content, PK, PCK, NOS 6 random visits 8 random weeks Through- out - Descriptive, ANOVA, thematic

Findings - Induction Programs Impact of different induction programs on beliefs, PK, PCK, NOS, and practices negligible (not significant at the p<0.05 level) Impact of different induction programs on beliefs, PK, PCK, NOS, and practices negligible (not significant at the p<0.05 level) Classroom instructional practices remain teacher-centered Classroom instructional practices remain teacher-centered Most common: Lecture, seatwork, bellwork, test reviewMost common: Lecture, seatwork, bellwork, test review Most uncommon: Student-centered laboratoriesMost uncommon: Student-centered laboratories

Findings: Induction Programs  Mentoring relationships important 60% met with mentors weekly or monthly 60% met with mentors weekly or monthly  Informal mentoring crucial 77% met with informal mentor daily, weekly, or monthly 77% met with informal mentor daily, weekly, or monthly Proximity was key- “Teacher next door” was important contact Proximity was key- “Teacher next door” was important contact  Impressions of mentor helpfulness by beginning teachers 45% 35% 20%

Discussion  Unexpected outcomes Lack of difference based on program type Lack of difference based on program type “Teacher next door” support “Teacher next door” support Traditional practices still prevail Traditional practices still prevail  Expected outcomes Location, low SES & ELL populations and instructional strategy Location, low SES & ELL populations and instructional strategy Testing climate exists Testing climate exists

Building the Continuum  Difficult to study  Essential research in building the continuum

Contextual Studies  How do beginning science teachers implement lessons on the nature of science and address equity in their classrooms?  Three teachers- Marie, Leslie and Josh

Findings  Their coursework prepared them to teach the nature of science  State standards impacted their use of nature of science lessons  Colleagues were important in influencing how they taught

Findings  M.Ed. Students were more likely to enact inquiry instruction (perhaps the second methods course, student teaching or HPS?)  K-8 teachers did not really understand science and tended to directly utilize the lessons from the induction program  Teachers benefited differently from the different induction programs