This article reports an investigation of a professional development program to enhance elementary teachers’ ability to engage their students in argument from evidence in science. Using a quasi-experimental approach, three versions were compared: Version A—a 1-week summer institute with a 2-week summer practicum experience and 8 follow-up days (four per year), Version B without the practicum experience, and Version C—a revision of Version A in Year 3. All teachers were videoed twice each year, and the videos were rated using an instrument to measure the quality of discourse. All versions led to a significant improvement in teachers’ facilitation of classroom discourse. Neither the practicum nor the revised program had an additional effect. Implications for the field are discussed.
This literature review, published in partnership with Stanford University’s Center to Support Excellence in Teaching, summarizes findings from existing research on teacher coaching and explores the following questions: What is the role of technology in the 21st century classroom? How do we best provide teachers with the time, support, and space to learn how to use new technological tools and resources effectively and to support deeper learning?
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