Teacher Enactment Patterns: How Can We Help Move All Teachers to Reform-Based Inquiry Practice through Professional Development?

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Teacher Enactment Patterns: How Can We Help Move All Teachers to Reform-Based Inquiry Practice through Professional Development?
Language: English
Authors: Lotter, Christine, Rushton, Gregory T., Singer, Jonathan
Source: Journal of Science Teacher Education. Dec 2013 24(8):1263-1291.
Availability: Springer. 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-348-4505; e-mail: service-ny@springer.com; Web site: http://www.springerlink.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 29
Publication Date: 2013
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
High Schools
Descriptors: Educational Change, Teaching Methods, Inquiry, Qualitative Research, Interviews, Teacher Attitudes, Secondary School Teachers, Summer Programs, Institutes (Training Programs), Faculty Development, Enrichment, Enrichment Activities, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Constructivism (Learning), Guidelines, Laboratory Experiments, Science Instruction, Science Teachers
DOI: 10.1007/s10972-013-9361-0
ISSN: 1046-560X
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate high school teachers' beliefs about inquiry instruction and determine how their beliefs influenced their use of inquiry after a professional development program. Thirty-six high school science teachers participated in this study. The professional development program consisted of a 2-week summer institute as well as academic year support. The summer program included discipline-specific content lessons that utilized inquiry-based instruction, pedagogical practice involving the use of a summer high school enrichment program, and reflection on this practice-teaching in content area groups. Both in-depth qualitative interview and written reflection data were collected as well as data from the teachers' classroom implementation of inquiry. Based on the analysis of the teachers' interviews and classroom enactments, the teachers were placed into four enactment categories: Integrated, Emerging, Laboratory-based, and Activity-focused. We used Windschitl's ("Rev Educ Res" 72(2):131-175, 2002) four constructivist dilemmas as a framework to understand the teachers' enactments. We describe the teachers' beliefs and practices in each enactment category as well as the components of the professional development model that were important to making changes in the teachers' practices. In the conclusion, we connect the enactment levels to the professional development experience and suggest future directions for professional developers to move teachers toward more integrated inquiry practices.
Abstractor: As Provided
Number of References: 55
Entry Date: 2014
Accession Number: EJ1039004
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:The purpose of this study was to investigate high school teachers' beliefs about inquiry instruction and determine how their beliefs influenced their use of inquiry after a professional development program. Thirty-six high school science teachers participated in this study. The professional development program consisted of a 2-week summer institute as well as academic year support. The summer program included discipline-specific content lessons that utilized inquiry-based instruction, pedagogical practice involving the use of a summer high school enrichment program, and reflection on this practice-teaching in content area groups. Both in-depth qualitative interview and written reflection data were collected as well as data from the teachers' classroom implementation of inquiry. Based on the analysis of the teachers' interviews and classroom enactments, the teachers were placed into four enactment categories: Integrated, Emerging, Laboratory-based, and Activity-focused. We used Windschitl's ("Rev Educ Res" 72(2):131-175, 2002) four constructivist dilemmas as a framework to understand the teachers' enactments. We describe the teachers' beliefs and practices in each enactment category as well as the components of the professional development model that were important to making changes in the teachers' practices. In the conclusion, we connect the enactment levels to the professional development experience and suggest future directions for professional developers to move teachers toward more integrated inquiry practices.
ISSN:1046-560X
DOI:10.1007/s10972-013-9361-0