Influence of Guided Cycles of Planning, Teaching, and Reflection on Prospective Elementary Teachers' Science Content Representations

Abstract

This study examined changes in the science content representations of two prospective elementary teachers during their first year in an experimental teacher preparation program. Qualitative case study design guided data collection, organization, and analysis. Multiple forms of data, including audiotaped interviews, written documents, and videotaped teaching episodes, were collected across two complete cycles of planning, teaching, and reflection. Data on prospective teachers' content representations were analyzed for their accuracy, sequencing, and connectedness, as well as their attention to the needs of learners. Improvements in content representations were noted within each component of the cycles and across semesters. These changes appear to be closely related to prospective teachers' developing understanding of learners. Findings suggest that opportunities to engage in cycles of instruction guided by structured considerations for content representation contributed to the noted improvements.

Eliciting, Identifying, Interpreting, and Responding to Students’ Ideas: Teacher Candidates’ Growth in Formative Assessment Practices

“…Despite these struggles, field placements coupled with reflection opportunities have been shown to have the greatest impact on teacher candidates' practices and beliefs about science teaching (Bryan and Abell 1999;Zembal-Saul et al 2000). Specifically, teacher candidates who attend teacher preparation programs that have extended field experiences tend to hold more studentcentered beliefs and enact inquiry in their classrooms more than those teacher candidates who are in more traditional preservice programs (Roehrig and Luft 2006).…”

Improving The Instructional Abilities of Science Teacher Candidates Through Lesson Study

“…Cavey & Berenson (2005) stated that lesson study could be used to develop teacher professionalism, especially in creating the lesson plan. The other program can conduct preservice teachers engage in multiple cycles of planning, teaching, and reflection so that they are able to organize education (Zembal-Saul et al, 2000). By involving the whole team, learning plans can be well designed.…”

Curriculum design for inquiry: Preservice elementary teachers' mobilization and adaptation of science curriculum materials

“…These findings also shed light on how preservice elementary teachers engage in inquiry‐oriented teaching. Many previous studies have shown that preservice teachers struggle to translate their ideas into science teaching practice (Bryan & Abell, 1999; Crawford, 1999; Southerland & Gess‐Newsome, 1999; Zembal‐Saul et al, 2000). However, as shown in the results here, the preservice teachers were able to adapt their lessons to make them more inquiry‐based in both RT assignments.…”