Contribution of a Professional Development Program for Teachers’
Learning
Mónica Baptista; Ana Maria Freire
[email protected]; [email protected]
Instituto de Educação
Universidade de Lisboa
To describe the contribution of Professional
Development Program for teachers’ learning
Study aim
PORTUGUESE CURRICULA FOR TEACHING SCIENCE AT MIDDLE
SCHOOL
Promotion STSE perspective
Constructivist focus, values the scientific inquiry approach
Preparation for public understanding of science and
scientific literacy
Assessment as learning
Galvão et al.(2002)
NATIONAL CURRICULA GOALS FOR SCIENCES
Development of competences in
Subject knowledge (substantive, procedural,
epistemological)
Reasoning
Communication skills
Scientific and social attitudesGalvão et al.(2002)
Teachers are often resistant to the implementation
of innovative ideas in order to adapt the Curricular
Orientation
Professional Development
Program
Collaborative work between Teachers and Researchers
Link Practice Link Practice and Theoryand Theory
Phase 1
Discussion about Curriculum Orientations, Science teaching and learning, formative assessmentPlanning and design of inquiry activities
Phase 1
Discussion about Curriculum Orientations, Science teaching and learning, formative assessmentPlanning and design of inquiry activities
Phase 3
Data Analysis Reflection about practice
Phase 3
Data Analysis Reflection about practice
Phase 2
Inquiry activities implementation in the classroom Data Collection
Phase 2
Inquiry activities implementation in the classroom Data Collection
Collaborative work between Teachers and Researchers
Written documents produced by students AudiotapesFocus Group Interviews
The activities were designed having in mind the
notion of situated learning practices and were based
on 5E learning cycle (Bybee & Landes, 1988).
The 5E learning cycle leads pupils through a
sequence consisting on the following phases:
engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration
and evaluation.
ElectricityPeriodic Table
Chemical Reactions
Sound and Light
Astronomy Materials
MethodologyMethodology
ParticipantsSix Physics and Chemistry
teachers from schools within the
region of Lisbon. They were all
females and their ages range from
25 to 47 years old. Two of them
are Master’ students in Science
Education, one has a Master in
Science Education, and another
has a Master in Physics for
Teaching.
The methodology is qualitative, adopting an
interpretative orientation (Erickson, 1986)
MethodologyMethodology
Data Collection
Interactions among researchers and
teachers during the design of inquiry
activities, and interviews (Patton, 1990)
Results
Phase 1 Interpreting the curricular orientations
Appling the 5E’s Model
Planning open activities
Teachers’ role
Learners’ role
Teaching goals
Phase 2 Researching while teaching
Giving feedback
Controlling time
Organizing the classroom
Managing the teachers’ role
Managing the learners’ role
Phase 3 Reflecting concern their practice
Understanding themselves as learners
Results
It isn’t easy to adapt and to apply the curriculum. When we started the first activity, I read the curricular orientations and I thought that the most important were the concepts and facts. Then, I made another reading and our discussion allowed the reflection. Now, I can say that I changed my point of view and I learned to interpret the curricular orientations. I think that I understand the intention of the curriculum developers.
Interpreting the curricular Interpreting the curricular orientationsorientations
This teacher understood the importance of using
curriculum as a resource for her own design of inquiry
activities.
Phase 1
Results
During the implementation of inquiry activities I learned to manage my role, but I had to break my routine associated with traditional approach. I had to assume a different role and my pupils too. They had an active role. They planned experiences, draw conclusions in a collaborative work, they managed materials.
Managing the teachers and pupils roleManaging the teachers and pupils role
According to this teacher, she and her pupils modified
their role in the classroom. Pupils assumed the
responsibility for their own learn.
Phase 2
Results
I think I learned to reflect about my own practice. We collected data from the pupils [during the phase 2] and the data analysis allowed me to reflect about my practice, my pupils’ learning and their difficulties. I think this is very important because it allowed to do improvements. I think this is crucial for my professional development
Reflecting concern their practiceReflecting concern their practice
According to this teacher, she learned to reflect about
their own practice and this is very important for her
professional development
Phase 3
ConclusionsConclusions
They, in collaboration with researchers, interpreted
the National Curriculum and incorporated new
approaches into their teaching. They enjoyed the
discussions, grew in their own knowledge about
teaching and learning, and valued the opportunities for
reflection.
The study showed that teachers had learned about teaching science trough inquiry, researching while teaching, reflecting on their practice, taking responsibility about their own learning, understanding themselves as learners. Teachers had the opportunity to learn new ways of making instructional decisions.
ConclusionsConclusions
They went through several changes during the
design and implementation process. These teachers
seemed to value a more passive role for the teacher
when they used inquiry activities in their classroom.
According to them, during the inquiry activities,
pupils plan experiences, work collaboratively,
communicate with each other, defend them based on
the evidence and draw conclusions.
ConclusionsConclusions
It is necessary to increase the collaborative work
between researchers and schoolteachers, because
each partner offers a unique set of knowledge and
expertise that contributes successfully to the
improvement of teachers’ practices.
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