We Look More, Listen More, Notice More: Impact of Sustained Professional Development on Head Start Teachers’ Inquiry-Based and Culturally-Relevant Science Teaching Practices
“…Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information was the inquiry‐based science practice that most often intersected with clear, observable culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) practices (i.e., CRIOP pillars). In such instances, there was evidence of meaningful learning opportunities that drew directly upon students’ experiences (e.g., Warren, Ballenger, Ogonowski, Rosebery, & Hudicourt‐Barnes, ), where students were encouraged to pose questions, investigate answers to those questions, and develop scientific literacy through activities (e.g., Roehrig et al, ). While exploring funds of knowledge that low‐income, urban 6th grade students brought to Mr. M's science classroom in their design experiment, Calabrese Barton and Tan () noted …during the lesson where fast food restaurants were compared, students reviewed McDonalds’ data sheets containing data tables with calories, fat content, vitamin content, iron, and cholesterol of each item on the fast‐food menu.…”
“…Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information was the inquiry‐based science practice that most often intersected with clear, observable culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) practices (i.e., CRIOP pillars). In such instances, there was evidence of meaningful learning opportunities that drew directly upon students’ experiences (e.g., Warren, Ballenger, Ogonowski, Rosebery, & Hudicourt‐Barnes, ), where students were encouraged to pose questions, investigate answers to those questions, and develop scientific literacy through activities (e.g., Roehrig et al, ). While exploring funds of knowledge that low‐income, urban 6th grade students brought to Mr. M's science classroom in their design experiment, Calabrese Barton and Tan () noted …during the lesson where fast food restaurants were compared, students reviewed McDonalds’ data sheets containing data tables with calories, fat content, vitamin content, iron, and cholesterol of each item on the fast‐food menu.…”
“…The ways in which educational researchers explore culturally responsive science teaching varies. Consistent with Gay's () initial emphasis on curriculum, research on culturally responsive science education has primarily focused on the inclusion of indigenous‐ and culturally specific knowledge in the official curriculum (e.g., Lewthwaite & McMillan, ) but has also been used to examine professional development programs (e.g., Roehrig, Dubosarsky, Mason, Carlson, & Murphy, ). Consistent with Ladson‐Billings’ (, ) original focus, much of the work to date on culturally relevant teaching practices has centered on pre‐ and in‐service science teachers’ beliefs about the importance of attending to culture in the science classroom (Atwater, Freeman, Butler, & Draper‐Morris, ), practices in the science classroom (Kelly‐Jackson & Jackson, ), and supports provided when designing culturally relevant lessons (Mensah, ).…”
Scholars argue that bridging students’ backgrounds with canonical science is necessary for students of color by reducing incongruences between home and school and increasing the authenticity of science learning. However, science teachers often struggle with enacting culturally responsive pedagogies (CRP). This paper utilizes data from classroom observations, group interviews, and numerous program artifacts to describe four themes associated with the knowledge and practices of six high school life science teachers as they learned about and attempted to enact CRP while participating in a professional development program. These themes include views of students that changed from a focus on indirect experiences and emphasizing what students lacked to direct experiences and discussions of resources that they brought to the classroom; repositioning of students and teachers that was originally undetectable but moved to situating students as leaders with authoritative knowledge that constructed products together; community building that was done to promote interaction, learning, and give voice to students; and utilizing a CRP toolbox of responsive strategies and relevant topics to create bridges between students’ homes and school. At times, however, there was little connection to families’ funds of knowledge and sporadic critical consciousness raising. Implications for equitable science teacher development are discussed.
“…As teacher-educators, the authors of this chapter sought ways relevant to "hyperconnected" college students to build a sense of affiliation with their professional communities early in their careers, specifically during their professional preparation. Research shows that teachers who engage regularly with long-term, authentic, sustaining professional learning such as collaborative groups (Darling-Hammond, Hyler, & Gardner, 2017), professional organizations (Webster-Wright, 2017), and communities that support professional learning (Stoll, Bolam, McMahon, Wallace, & Thomas, 2006), tend to report more satisfaction (Webster-Wright, 2017) and, perhaps unsurprisingly, are better teachers (Roehrig, Dubosarsky, Mason, Carlson, & Murphy, 2011). The authors concur with Webster-Wright's (2017) observation that while professional learning "cannot be controlled, in that no one can make another person learn, professionals can be supported to continue to learn in their own authentic way while taking into account the expectations of their working contexts" (p. 725).…”
Section: Social Media Teacher Education and Professional Learningmentioning
This chapter describes a mixed-method, multiple case study that examined ways in which synchronous educational Twitter chats were used, first, to enhance graduate and undergraduate university student learning, second, to build professional networks, and third, to provide a loosely regulated means to achieving self-determined professional development goals. Findings suggest that while difficult at the onset, participation in Twitter educational chats was an enhancement to students' overall course learning experience. Specifically, university students' use of chats for educators helped them achieve social presence in this virtual environment, as well as to better understand the connections between positive student-teacher relationships and K12 student learning. Included are recommendations for use of Twitter synchronous educational chats in the college classroom as well as future directions in research.
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