An experimental study of a museum-based, science PD programme’s impact on teachers and their students

Abstract

We present results of an experimental study of an urban, museumbased science teacher PD programme. A total of 125 teachers and 1676 of their students in grades 4-8 were tested at the beginning and end of the school year in which the PD programme took place. Teachers and students were assessed on subject content knowledge and attitudes towards science, along with teacher classroom behaviour. Subject content questions were mostly taken from standardised state tests and literature, with an 'Explain:' prompt added to some items. Teachers in the treatment group showed a 7% gain in subject content knowledge over the control group. Students of teachers in the treatment group showed a 4% gain in subject content knowledge over the control group on multiple-choice items and an 11% gain on the constructed response items. There was no overall change in science attitudes of teachers or students over the control groups but we did find differences in teachers' reported self-efficacy and teaching anxiety levels, plus PD teachers reported doing more student-centered science teaching activities than the control group. All teachers came into the PD with high initial excitement, perhaps reflecting its context within an informal learning environment.

What we've learned: A research agenda for a museum, 7 years later

“…There is a growing body of research on the benefits of museums and informal science institutions as settings for preservice teacher learning (Anderson et al, 2006; Buczynski & Hansen, 2010; Çil et al, 2016; Setioko & Irving, 2017; Yu & Yang, 2010; see also Cooke‐Nieves et al, 2022), including research on the impact of preservice teachers doing fieldwork in museums (Coddington, 2020; Cooke‐Nieves et al, 2022; Hamilton & Margot, 2019; Jung & Tonso, 2006; Nichols, 2014; Patterson, 2021). This research also includes studies of teacher professional development in cultural institutions and informal science institutions (Heredia et al, 2022; Heredia & Yu, 2017; Holliday et al, 2014; Phillips et al, 2007; Price & Chiu, 2018), as well as museum educator learning in museums (Bevan & Dillon, 2010; Bevan & Xanthoudaki, 2008). Building on this scholarship, explorations of how and why the context of cultural institutions might intersect with key features of teachers' learning over time, at various career stages, and at a large scale, can help extend and deepen this area of research.…”

“…It is possible that learning in these settings also reinforces teacher agency: by working alongside scientists, by engaging in specific investigations, and by collaborating with STEM-interested colleagues. Taking on leadership and research roles in an informal science institution-co-teaching in our programs, and serving as co-researchers-strengthens their professional expertise, and advances opportunities to expand their role as leaders and scholars in STEM (Pincus et al, 2020).…”

Integrating Local Science and School Science: The Benefits for Preserving Local Wisdom and Promoting Students’ Learning

“…Although researchers pay less attention to cultural, social, and gender issues (Cavas et al, 2012), several ethnoscience studies have become the focus in recent years (Sturtevant, 2017). These studies concentrated on student self-confidence (Price, C. A. & Chiu, 2018;Ardianti et al, 2019) and motivation to learn science (Hiwatig, 2008).…”