Bruner, J. ERIC - ED213672 - Laboratory Schools: Updated or Outdated., 1981 Gamoran and others studied six sites where teachers and educational researchers collaborated to reform science and mathematics teaching, focusing on teaching for understanding. But those connections are not enough: science sense-making discourse must also help students to develop understanding of a given science concept and create links between theory and observable phenomena. McComas and Colburn (1995) established an inservice program called Laboratory Learning: An Inservice Institute, which incorporated some of the design elements that support student learning in laboratory experiences. It often consists mostly of one-day (or shorter) workshops focusing on how-to activities that are unlikely to challenge teachers beliefs about teaching and learning that support their current practice (DeSimone, Garet, Birman, Porter, and Yoon, 2003). Shared teacher planning time may be a critical support for improved laboratory teaching, because of the unique nature of laboratory education. U.S. Department of Energy. Knowledge of students cultures and languages and the ability to communicate across cultures are necessary to carry out laboratory experiences that build on diverse students sense of wonder and engage them in science learning. The inequities in the availability of academically prepared teachers may pose a serious challenge to minority and poor students progress toward the. Olsen, T.P., Hewson, P.W., and Lyons, L. (1996). These strategies included arranging seating to facilitate student discussion, requiring students to supply evidence to support their claims, encouraging students to explain concepts to one another, and having students work in cooperative groups. Clark, R.L., Clough, M.P., and Berg, C.A. ), The student laboratory and the curriculum (pp. [I]t represents the blending of content and pedagogy into an understanding of how particular topics, problems, or issues are organized, represented and adapted to the diverse interests and abilities of learners, and presented for instruction. (2003). Available at: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/June_3-4_2004_High_School_Labs_Meeting_Agenda.html [accessed Oct. 2004]. What do they contribute to science learning? Shulman (1986, p. 8) has defined pedagogical content knowledge as: [A] special amalgam of content and pedagogy that is uniquely the province of teachers, their own form of professional understanding. Other studies indicate that high-quality professional development can encourage and support science teachers in leading a full range of laboratory experiences that allow students to participate actively in formulating research questions and in designing and carrying out investigations (Windschitl, 2004). Presentation to the Committee on High School Science Laboratories: Role and Vision, June 3-4, National Research Council, Washington, DC. Assessing Laboratory Learning | UNSW Teaching Staff Gateway Washington, DC: Author. The teachers skills in posing questions and leading discussions affect students ability to build meaning from their laboratory experiences. (2001b). Teachers may help children become more confident and proficient readers by breaking down the reading comprehension process into discrete subtasks and offering targeted teaching and feedback on each one. Loucks-Horsley, S., Love, N., Stiles, K.E., Mundry, S., and Hewson, P.W. It may be useful, however, to begin . It was also clear that teachers enhanced their understanding of science subject matter specific to the lab they experienced. an increasingly important aspect of their general pedagogical knowledge. Promoting inquiry-based instructional practice: The longitudinal impact of professional development in the context of systemic reform. About this Course. van Zee, E., and Minstrell, J. To determine the current role of laboratory schools in the United States, the 123 existing laboratory schools were surveyed. (1995). Some school and school district officials may be reluctant to invest in sustained professional development for science teachers because they fear losing their investments if trained teachers leave for other jobs. (2003). Finally, adequate time is essential for student learning in laboratory experiences. In the Seattle program, teachers attend a 13-day summer workshop in which they work closely with each other, master teachers, and program staff to develop expertise in molecular biology. The Quality of Vocational Teachers: teacher education, institutional Science Education, 77, 261-278. Linn, M.C. Associations of science teachers have taken differing positions on how administrators can best support teachers in preparing for and cleaning up after laboratory experiences. Google Scholar Gather people close to focus them on what you are doing and consider the range of visual and auditory needs among your students to provide equitable access to the demonstration. Pre-service education and in-service professional development for science teachers rarely address laboratory experiences and do not provide teachers with the knowledge and skills needed to lead laboratory experiences. However, formulating such questions can be difficult (National Research Council, 2001a, 2001b). What is the current status of labs in our nations high schools as a context for learning science? The contents of the institute were developed on the basis of in-depth field interviews and literature reviews to tap the practical knowledge of experienced science teachers. Among those who had, an overwhelming majority said the experience had helped them better understand science content and improved both their teaching practice and their enthusiasm (Bayer Corporation, 2004). The laboratory has been given a central and distinctive role in science education, and science educators have suggested that there are rich benefits in learning from using laboratory activities. Arlington, VA: National Science Teachers Association. Culturally adaptive teaching and learning science in labs. A research agenda. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. In addition, some researchers argue that, although professional development expends resources (time, money, supplies), it also creates new human and social resources (Gamoran et al., 2003, p. 28). 153-186). East Lansing, MI: National Center for Research in Teacher Education. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 6(2), 120-124. Schulze (Eds. U.S. Department of Education. PPT PowerPoint Presentation - The Role of Teacher in Purposeful Learning National Research Council. How should student learning in laboratory experiences be assessed? Catley, K. (2004). In M.D. (2004). little information is available on the effectiveness of these efforts. Gitomer, D.H., and Duschl, R.A. (1998). Organizational conditions that support inquiry in high school science instruction. ), Knowledge base for the beginning teacher. View our suggested citation for this chapter. National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools. MyNAP members SAVE 10% off online. Constructivist approaches to science teaching. While teachers play an active role in lecture-based teaching methods, the students' role is usually reduced to sitting at their desks and listening passively to their teachers, to all. Millar, R. (2004). Page 111 Share Cite. PDF Laboratory Practices of Beginning Secondary Science Teachers: A - ed It appears that the uneven quality of current high school laboratory experiences is due in part to the preparation of science teachers to lead these experiences. Supovitz, J.A., and Turner, H.M. (2000). Chemistry laboratories play an essential role in the education of undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and non-STEM students. No national survey data are available to indicate whether science teachers receive adequate preparation time or assistance from trained laboratory technicians. Collaborator. (2004). Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Available at: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/July_12-13_2004_High_School_Labs_Meeting_Agenda.html [accessed May 2005]. A three-way error components analysis of educational productivity. Some research indicates that teachers do not respond to sustained professional development by taking their new knowledge and skills to other schools, but rather by staying and creating new benefits where they are. This paper explores the role of laboratory and field-based research experiences in secondary science education by summarizing research documenting how such activities promote science learning. A student lab assistant ensures that students do not practice any unsafe behaviors in the lab. They also spend a week doing laboratory research with a scientist mentor at the Fred Hutchinson Center or one of several other participating public and private research institutions in Seattle. Available at: http://www.nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2004/section4/indicator24.asp [accessed Feb. 2005]. Because many current science teachers have demographic backgrounds different from their students (Lee, 2002; Lynch, Kuipers, Pyke, and Szeze, in press), the ability to communicate across barriers of language and culture is. Paper prepared for the Committee on High School Science Laboratories: Role and Vision, July 12-13, National Research Council, Washington, DC. ROLE DESCRIPTION Education Support Employee Laboratory Assistant Fraser and K.G. Chapel Hill, NC: Horizon Research. The Role of the Laboratory in Science Teaching: Neglected Aspects of (1996). Educational Policy, 14(3), 331-356. Teacher and classroom context effects on student achievement: Implications for teacher evaluation. (2004). Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website. To date, over 400 RE-SEED volunteers have worked with schools in 10 states. 17 Roles and Responsibilities of a Teacher | Cudoo - Cudoo Blog (2004). He suggests that a high school physics teacher should know concepts or principles to emphasize when introducing high school students to a particular topic (p. 264). The committee identified a limited portfolio of examples of promising approaches to professional development that may support teachers in leading laboratory experiences designed with clear learning outcomes in mind, thoughtfully sequenced into the flow of classroom science instruction, integrating the learning of science content and process, and incorporating ongoing student reflection and discussion. II. Responsibilities and Duties of Teaching Assistants in Chemistry Teacher and School Readiness for Laboratory Experiences 4. Available at: http://www.educationnext.org/20021/50.html [accessed Feb. 2005]. In N.M. Lambert and B.L. Teachers draw on all of the types of knowledge listed abovecontent knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, general pedagogical knowledge, and knowledge of assessmentin their daily work of planning and leading instruction. The primary role of a teacher is to establish a learning environment where all students are able to learn and are motivated to learn, an environment that is both challenging and supportive: Establish a learning community consisting of the teacher and the students Final report on the evaluation of the National Science Foundations Instructional Materials Development Program. (1999). a deeper understanding of abstract concepts and theories gained by experiencing and visualising them as authentic phenomena the skills of scientific enquiry and problem-solving, including: recognising and defining a problem formulating hypotheses designing experiments collecting data through observation and/or experimentation interpreting data ), International handbook of science education (pp. We do not yet know how best to develop the knowledge and skills that teachers require to lead laboratory experiences that help students master science subject matter, develop scientific reasoning skills, and attain the other goals of laboratory education. Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. 1 Introduction, History, and Definition of Laboratories, 3 Laboratory Experiences and Student Learning, 5 Teacher and School Readiness for Laboratory Experiences, 7 Laboratory Experiences for the 21st Century, APPENDIX A Agendas of Fact-Finding Meetings, APPENDIX B Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff. In C. Jencks and M. Phillips (Eds. They felt confident to guide their students through the same process, where there is no right answer.. Further research is needed to inform design of professional development that can effectively support improvements in teachers laboratory instruction. Ready to take your reading offline? They must guide and focus ongoing discussion and reflection with individuals, laboratory groups, and the entire class. The program was designed in part to address weakness in science teachers understanding of the nature of science, which was documented in earlier research (Khalic and Lederman, 2000; Schwartz and Lederman, 2002). When one college physics professor taught a high school physics class, he struggled with uncertainty about how to respond to students ideas about the phenomena they encountered, particularly when their findings contradicted accepted scientific principles (Hammer, 1997). Teachers and teacher aides should lead by example and wear personal protective equipment (PPE); follow and enforce safety rules, procedures, and practices; and demonstrate safety behavior to promote a culture of safety. Lederman, N.G. Fraser and K.G. The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory has provided professional development programs for science teachers for several years (Javonovic and King, 1998). You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Specifically, it challenges the assumption that having a college degree in science, by itself, is sufficient to teach high school science. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum. For example, HHMI has funded summer teacher training workshops at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory for many years, and also supports an ongoing partnership between the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the Seattle, Washington, public schools (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 2003). Responsibilities of Teachers Clinical Supervision of Medical Students Resident, Fellow and Graduate Teaching Assistant as Teacher Policy Responsibilities of Learners Course Directors' Expectations of Students The teacher-learner relationship confers rights and responsibilities on both parties. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics (2004) show variation in teacher qualifications from one science discipline to another. Available at: http://www.sedl.org/connections/research-syntheses.html [accessed May 2005]. At this time, however, some educators have begun to question seriously the effectiveness and the role of laboratory work, and the case for laboratory . Coherence (consistency with teachers goals, state standards, and assessments). Raleigh: Science House, North Carolina State University. Participant teachers were also interviewed. The Role of the Teacher in . Harlen, W. (2001). In B.J. The California Institute of Technology has a program to help scientists and graduate students work with teachers in elementary school classrooms in the Pasadena school district. or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one. Other studies have also found that most teachers do not experience sustained professional development and that they view it as ineffective (Windschitl, 2004). We begin by identifying some of the knowledge and skills required to lead laboratory experiences aligned with the goals and design principles we have identified. Boys and girls in the performance-based classroom: Whos doing the performing? McComas, W.F., and Colburn, A.I. Committee on Techniques for the Enhancement of Human Performance: Occupational Analysis. In contrast to these short, ineffective approaches, consensus is growing in the research about key features of high-quality professional development for mathematics and science teachers (DeSimone, Porter, Garet, Yoon, and Birman, 2002; DeSimone et al., 2003, p. 10): New forms of professional development (i.e., study group, teacher network, mentoring, or task force, internship, or individual research project with a scientist) in contrast to the traditional workshop or conference. Gamoran, A., Anderson, C.W., Quiroz, P.A., Seceda, W.G., Williams, T., and Ashmann, S. (2003). Laboratory experiences as a part of most U.S. high school science curricula have been taken for granted for decades, but they have rarely been carefully examined. (1989). They must address the challenge of helping students to simultaneously develop scientific reasoning, master science subject matter and progress toward the other goals of laboratory experiences. The guidelines also call on administrators to schedule no more than 125 students per teacher per day, if the teacher is teaching only physics (the same laboratory activity taught several times may not require preparation) and no more than 100 students per teacher per day if the. (2002). Discovery learning and discovery teaching. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 20, 745-754. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31, 621-637. The authors of the review found that, when laboratory education is available, it focuses primarily on the care and use of laboratory equipment and laboratory safety. Review of Educational Research, 52(2), 201-217. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. (2001). Presentation to the Committee on High School Science Laboratories: Role and Vision, June 3-4, National Research Council, Washington, DC. The Roles of the Language Laboratory In Teaching Languages: A Case The laboratory science teacher professional development program. Laboratory Schools: History Teacher, High School 9-13 Thus, medical laboratory professionals can be key members of the interprofessional health care team. Teachers need to decide what kind of phenomena are important and appropriate for students to study as well as the degree of structure their students require. Only a few high school students are sufficiently advanced in their knowledge of science to serve as an effective scientific community in formulating such questions. Center for Education. Examining the effects of a highly rated curriculum unit on diverse students: Results from a planning grant. The Role of the Laboratory in Science Teaching: Neglected Aspects of Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum. Data from a 2000 survey of science and mathematics education indicate that most current science teachers participate infrequently in professional development activities, and that many teachers view these activities as ineffective (Hudson, McMahon, and Overstreet, 2002). Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Philadelphia: Open University Press. The teacher strives to fathom what the student is saying and what is implied about the students knowledge in his or her statements, questions, work and actions. Current professional development for science teachers is uneven in quantity and quality and places little emphasis on laboratory teaching. Teachers require a deep understanding of scientific processes in order to guide students procedures and formulation of research questions, as well as deep understanding of science concepts in order to guide them toward subject matter understanding and other learning goals. Designing computer learning environments for engineering and computer science: The scaffolded knowledge integration framework. Institute participants also asked for more discussion of assessment methods for laboratory teaching, including the role of video testing, and also recommended inclusion of sessions that address teaching science laboratory classes on a small budget. One study found that, when laboratories were easily accessible, 14- and 15-year-old students who used the facilities during their free time reported increased interest in academics and took advanced science courses (Henderson and Mapp, 2002). At this time, however, some educators have begun to question seriously the effectiveness and the role of laboratory work, and the case for laboratory . The Integral Role of Laboratory Investigations in Science - NSTA How do teachers work and learnspecifically related to labs. Teachers lacking a science major may be less likely to engage students in any type of laboratory experience and may be less likely to provide more advanced laboratory experiences, such as those that engage the students in posing research questions, in formulating and revising scientific models, and in making scientific arguments. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. More than 90 percent of the class indicated that the experiment was highly effective in demonstrating the difficulty of scientific investigations and the possibility of failure in science (Glagovich and Swierczynski, 2004). Classroom and field-based "lab work" is conceptualized as central components of The research described above indicates that undergraduate laboratory experiences do not integrate learning of science content and science processes in ways that lead to deep conceptual understanding of science subject matter. TA may not leave the lab unattended while students are in the room. As already known, most of the teacher candidates carry out closeended laboratory - practices throughout their university education [14]. For example, Northeastern University has established a program called RE-SEED (Retirees Enhancing Science Education through Experiments and Demonstration), which arranges for engineers, scientists, and other individuals with science backgrounds to assist middle school teachers with leading students in laboratory experiences. Only 11 percent of responding teachers indicated that science teachers in their school regularly observed other science teachers. Rather, learning is an active process which goes on within the students by guiding the learning . The research comprised both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 4(2), 103-126. NSTA position statement: Laboratory science. They surveyed a sample of 207 teachers in 30 schools, 10 districts, and 5 states to examine features of professional development and its effects on teaching practice from 1996 to 1999 (DeSimone et al., 2002). Project ICAN: Inquiry, Context, and Nature of Science. Javonovic, J., and King, S.S. (1998). Gamoran, A. After receiving his BEd and MEd degrees from the same university in 1985 and 1986 respectively he started his teaching career as Mathematics and Science teacher in 1989 at Windhoek High . Their previous, closely prescribed laboratory experiences had not helped them to understand that there are many different ways to effect a particular chemical transformation. Laboratory teaching assumes that first-hand experience in observation and manipulation of the materials of science is superior to other methods of developing understanding and appreciation. National Research Council. In this section, we describe the types of teacher knowledge and skills that may be required to lead a range of laboratory experiences aligned with our design principles, comparing the required skills with evidence about the current state of teachers knowledge and skills. These limits, in turn, could contribute to lower science achievement, especially among poor and minority students. Revisiting what states are doing to improve the quality of teaching: An update on patterns and trends. It is important for the teacher to be a good learner so as to keep up with the changes. The teaching communities that developed, with their new leaders, succeeded in obtaining additional resources (such as shared teacher planning time) from within the schools and districts (Gamoran et al., 2003) and also from outside of them. Pomeroy, D. (1993).