Dimensions that shape teacher–scientist collaborations for teacher enhancement

Abstract

Partnerships of teachers with scientists are thought to be important for many aspects of science education reform, but it is not always clear how to make such partnerships productive. Between 1994 and 1997, high school teachers were partnered with scientists, to design yearlong ecological research projects in which the teachers were learning for their own sake, rather than to create new curriculum. In these partnerships the relationships with the scientists took many forms. We found that negotiations around five dimensions seemed particularly important: (1) Whose question was being investigated? (2) Was the focus primarily on data collection or data analysis? (3) Was the research based on the ecologist's area of expertise, or the teachers' interest? (4) Was the focus primarily on the teachers' learning on their students' classroom learning? (5) Was the research intended for an external audience, or primarily for the teachers' own benefit? Three case studies are presented, showing how these dimensions shaped the negotiations of more successful and less successful collaborations. Implications for inquiry-based pedagogy, and cultural issues arising in scientist-teacher collaborations, are discussed.

Does Interdisciplinary Collaboration Alter Student Perceptions of their Disciplines? A Case Study of a User-Centerd Design Experience for Mechanical Engineering and Early Childhood Education Students

“…This study supports previous research on scientist-educator collaborations, which indicate for educators the benefits include increased content knowledge, increased confidence as scientists, and for scientists the benefits include a better understanding of PK-12 education and ability to communicate to non-scientific audiences (Caton et al, 2000;Drayton and Falk, 2006;Fortner, 2007, 2008;Munson et al, 2013;Nelson, 2005;Paleaz and Gozalez, 2002).Moreover, both teachers and scientists/engineers work in professions based on bodies of research and the connections between theory and practice (Tanner et al, 2003). As such, interdisciplinary partnerships and collaborations based on mutual respect for one another's professions ultimately benefit children served by P-12 education.…”

Inquiry Resources Collection as a Boundary Object Supporting Meaningful Collaboration in a Wiki-Based Scientist-Teacher Community

“…According to Drayton and Falk (2006), the different languages and concerns in scientist and teacher communities generate practical issues in scientist and teacher collaboration, including science content and pedagogy, relation of current research to the task of learning the big ideas, scientists' knowledge of classroom realities, different professional cultures, and issues around perceived differences in status or power. Scientists and science teachers who have different experiences on authentic inquiry practice establish different perspectives of implementing inquiry-based learning (Cronin-Jones 1991).…”

“…In efforts to promote teachers' practice of scientific inquiry, partnerships of teachers with scientists have been emphasized in science education reform (Drayton and Falk 2006). Scientists have an important and central role in teacher professional development that focuses on developing teachers' knowledge and skills in inquiry practice.…”

Interactive Whiteboard Use in High-Tech Science Classrooms: Patterns of Integration

“…Teachers in reference's [8] work found support teachers (who they referred to as "missioners") to be of the utmost importance, helping less savvy teachers move beyond using the board as a tool for efficiency. Learning communities within schools have been shown to be powerful resources for teachers [39], providing "just in time" learning of a kind particularly useful to science teachers in a fastmoving technology environment [40,41]. Within a school, early adopters could assist typical and resistant users in learning about technology and how it might be used to meet curricular goals.…”