Journal of the Korean earth science society (한국지구과학회지)

The Korean Earth Science Society (한국지구과학회)
권호 표지

Student Teachers and Beginning Teachers' Understandings of Scientific Inquiry

  • Flick, Larry (Science and Mathematics Education, Oregon State University) ;
  • Morrell, Patricia-D. (School of Education, University of Portland) ;
  • Wainwright, Camille (School of Education, Pacific University) ;
  • Park, Young-Shin (Science and Mathematics Education, Oregon State University)
  • Published : 2004.03.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

This study examined the knowledge and practices of scientific inquiry displayed by three student teachers and two beginning teachers at secondary levels. Observations using the instrument of OTOP designed by the research team of OCEPT (Oregon Collaborative for Excellent in the Preparation of Teachers) generalized similar teaching strategies of scientific inquiry between student and beginning teachers, such as using group work for students' first hand experience, using concrete materials for experimentation or visual tools for demonstration, using questions for factual knowledge mainly without opportunities to understand how scientific knowledge is constructed. Those scientific inquiry activities were very confirmative ones to follow the steps without opportunities of understanding nature of science or nature of scientific inquiry. However, all participants in this study hold knowledge of scientific inquiry envisioned by the National Science Education Standards [NSES] (NRC, 1996), where students identify their hypothesis, use critical and logical thinking, and consider alternative explanations through argumentation as well as experimentation. An inconsistent relationship between participating teachers knowledge and practices about scientific inquiry resulted from their lack of pedagogy skills of implementing it in the classroom. Providing opportunities for these teachers to reflect on their beliefs and practices about scientific inquiry was recommended for the future study. Furthermore, increasing college faculty interest in new teaching approaches for upgrading the content knowledge of student teachers and beginning teachers was recommended as a solution, since those teachers showed evidence of influence by college faculties at universities in their pedagogy skills.

Keywords

References

  1. Alexopoulou, E. and Driver, R., 1996, Small-group discus-sion in physics: Peer interaction modes in pairs and fours. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 33(10), 1099-1114 https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-2736(199612)33:10<1099::AID-TEA4>3.0.CO;2-N
  2. Bowen, G.M. and Roth, W-M., 1999, 'Do-able' questions, covariation and graphical representation: Do we ade-quately prepare preservice science teachers to teach inquiry? A paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association of Research in Science Teach-ing, Boston, MA
  3. Crawford, B.A., 2000, Embracing the essence of inquiry: New roles for science teachers. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 37(9), 916-937 https://doi.org/10.1002/1098-2736(200011)37:9<916::AID-TEA4>3.0.CO;2-2
  4. Crawford, T., Kelly, GJ., and Brown, c., 2000, Ways of knowing beyond facts and laws of science: An ethno-graphic investigation of student engagement in scien-tific practices. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 37(3), 237-258 https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-2736(200003)37:3<237::AID-TEA2>3.0.CO;2-6
  5. Driver, R., Newton, P. and Osborne, J., 2000, Establishing the norms of scientific argumentation in classrooms. Science Education, 84, 287-312 https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-237X(200005)84:3<287::AID-SCE1>3.0.CO;2-A
  6. Gallagher, J. J. and Tobin, K., 1987, Teacher management and student engagement in high school science. Sci-ence Education, 71(4), 535-555 https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.3730710406
  7. Herrenkohl, L.R., Palincsar, AS., DeWater. L.S., and Kawasaki, K, 1999, Developing scientific communities in classroom: A sociocognitive approach. The Journal of the Learning Science, 8 (3 & 4),451-493 https://doi.org/10.1080/10508406.1999.9672076
  8. Keys, C.W. and Kennedy, W., 1999, Understanding inquiry science teaching in context: A case study of an elemen-tary teacher. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 1O(4), 315-333 https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009406511999
  9. Krajcik, K., Blumenfeld, P.C., Marx, R.W., Bass, K.M., Fredricks, J., and Soloway, E., 1998, Inquiry in projectbased science classrooms: Initial Attempts by middle students. The Journal of the Learning Science, 7(3 & 4), 313-350
  10. Kuhn, D., 1992, Thinking as argument. Harvard Educa-tional Review, 62(2), 155-178
  11. Kuhn, D., Amsel, E., and OLoughlin, M., 1988, The devel-opment of scientific thinking skills. San Diego: Aca-demic Press, INC
  12. Mackenzie, AH., 2001, The role of teacher stance when infusing inquiry questioning into middle school science classroom. School Science and Mathematics, 101(3), 143-153 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1949-8594.2001.tb18017.x
  13. Maor, D. and Taylor, P.C., 1995, Teacher epistemology and scientific inquiry in computerized classroom environ-ments. Joumal of Research in Science Teaching, 32(8), 839-854 https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.3660320807
  14. Morrell, P.D., 1999, Preservice teachers perceptions of the 'Good' and 'Bad' in their college math and science course, A paper presented at the 2003 annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Boston, MA
  15. Morrell, P.D., Flick, L., Park, Y-S., Perkins, c., Schepige, A, and Wainwright, C., 2003a, Reform teaching strate-gies used by student teachers, A paper presented at the 2003 annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Philadelphia, PA
  16. Morrell, P.D., Flick, L., Park, Y-S., Perkins, C., Wain-wright, C., Blair, S., and Schepige, A., 2003b, Measur-ing reform teaching in undergraduate level mathematics and science course, A paper presented at the 2003 Association for the Education of Teachers of Science annual international conference, St.Louis, MO
  17. National Research Council, 1996, National Science Educa-tion Standards. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press
  18. Reiff, R., 2001, If inquiry is so great, why isnt everyone doing it? A paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, St. Louis, MO, March
  19. Roehrig, G. and Luft, J., 2001, Constraints experienced by beginning secondary science teachers in implementing scientific inquiry lesson. A paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, St. Louis, MO, March
  20. Shepige, A., Morrell, P.D., Wainwright, C. (2004). Do reform-based teaching practices of pre-service teachers change as they move into their first year of teaching? A paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Oregon Academy of Science, Portland, OR, February
  21. Simmons, P.E., Emory, A., Carter, T., Coker, T., Finnegan, B., Crockett, D., Richardson, L., Yager, R., Craven, J., Tillotson, J., Brunkhorst, H., Twiest, M., Hossain, K., Gallagher, J., Duggan-Haas, D., Parker, J., Cajas, F, Alshannag, Q., McGlamery, S., Krockover, J., Adams, P., Spector, B., LaPorta, T., James, B., Rearden, K, and Labuda, K, 1999, Beginning teachers: Beliefs and classroom actions. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 36(8), 930-054 https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-2736(199910)36:8<930::AID-TEA3>3.0.CO;2-N
  22. White, B.Y. and Frederiksen. J.R., 1998, Inquiry, model-ing, and metacognition: Making science accessible to all students. Cognition and Instruction, 16(1), 3-118 https://doi.org/10.1207/s1532690xci1601_2