Engaging K–8 Preservice Science Teachers through an NGSS-Based Climate Change Project

Abstract

An interdisciplinary climate change project aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) was developed and implemented in an undergraduate chemistry course for K–8 preservice science teachers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Three demonstration activities aligned with NGSS and the Framework for K–12 Science Education are included in this project, which can be adopted and implemented in science classes in primary/middle schools. This project demonstrated to students how to align the activities with NGSS and the three-dimensional framework, as well as how to select phenomena on the basis of local relevant context and using the 5E instructional model in the teaching of the project. The preservice science teachers also learned chemistry concepts related to climate change through the project. Moreover, this project provides the opportunity for instructors to introduce the teaching of NGSS-based science activities to preservice science teachers using phenomena-based learning and a 5E instructional model.

Increasing Preservice Science Teachers’ Climate Change Knowledge, Hope, and Self-Efficacy in an Online Chemistry Course

“…In this study, a remote climate change project with three prerecorded demonstration activities was developed in alignment with the NGSS and implemented in a teaching credential upper division chemistry course, which was delivered online in Spring 2021 and Fall 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic time. 54 During the project, the PSTs received demonstration on how to teach climate change activities using phenomena based on relevant local contexts. The demonstration activities were used to introduce to chemistry concepts related to the greenhouse effect, the cause of ocean acidification, and the impacts of ocean acidification on shell organisms, as well as to promote positive hope and self-efficacy toward climate change.…”

“…Details about the three demonstration activities, such as learning objectives, the climate change knowledge survey, preactivity assignment, links to the videos of the three demonstration activities, and so on, can be found in the previous publication by Wang and Liu and its Supporting Information. 54 The effect of the remote climate change project on promoting PSTs' knowledge, hope, and self-efficacy toward climate change will be investigated using reliable and validated scales. The following research questions will be addressed: The findings would fill the research gap on the effectiveness of online training instructional materials for pre/in-service science teachers regarding climate change in the chemistry context, in particular the effect on PSTs' hope and self-efficacy toward climate change.…”

“…An 11-item climate change knowledge survey 54 was used exactly and administered to students before and after the climate change project to examine PSTs' preknowledge of climate change and mastery of climate change knowledge after the project. One sample question is "Which of the following is NOT a greenhouse gas?"…”

“…In this study, a remote climate change project with three prerecorded demonstration activities was developed in alignment with the NGSS and implemented in a teaching credential upper division chemistry course, which was delivered online in Spring 2021 and Fall 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic time . During the project, the PSTs received demonstration on how to teach climate change activities using phenomena based on relevant local contexts.…”

“…The demonstration activities were used to introduce to chemistry concepts related to the greenhouse effect, the cause of ocean acidification, and the impacts of ocean acidification on shell organisms, as well as to promote positive hope and self-efficacy toward climate change. Details about the three demonstration activities, such as learning objectives, the climate change knowledge survey, preactivity assignment, links to the videos of the three demonstration activities, and so on, can be found in the previous publication by Wang and Liu and its Supporting Information . The effect of the remote climate change project on promoting PSTs’ knowledge, hope, and self-efficacy toward climate change will be investigated using reliable and validated scales.…”