Growing STEM roots: Preparing preservice teachers

This mixed-methods pilot study investigates elementary and secondary pre-service teachers’ (n=12) mathematics and science content knowledge and conceptions of nature of science following the first year implementation of a science and mathematics site-based professional development program. This study utilized pre/post data from science and mathematics content exams, and Views of Nature of Science-C instrument. Data revealed gains in preservice teachers’ mathematics and science content knowledge and perceptions regarding the nature of science. Introduction The shortage of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) middle school teachers, especially those in low income and high minority schools, is exacerbated by the fact that many of the teachers are not adequately prepared or supported to foster success and interest in science and mathematics (Boyd, Lankford, Loeb, Ronfeldt, & Wyckoff, 2011). This study explored designing teacher preparation with authentic research experiences combined with siteand content-specific professional development. Field based experiences utilized inquiry and other tools to increase content understanding and deepen views of the nature of science. The purpose of this paper is to describe a mixed-methods pilot study investigating elementary and secondary pre-service teachers’ mathematics and science content knowledge and conceptions of nature of science following the first year implementation of a science and mathematics site-based professional development program. The key elements of this transformative strategy for bolstering the elementary to middle levels science and mathematics teaching certification pathway for preservice teachers will be discussed. Findings in this study will offer insight regarding fostering and developing preservice teachers’ math and science content knowledge and understandings of nature of science in teacher preparation programs. Literature Review Generalist elementary education degrees are among the most completed in the U.S. (NCES, 2012). However, many of these teachers have limited preparation for effectively teaching mathematics and science as they have usually completed only one to three content courses in generalist education programs (CBMS, 2012). Teachers who express uneasiness with mathematics or science are more likely to avoid planning or teaching these subjects (Newton, Leonard, Evans, & Eastburn, 2012). In addition, because educators struggle to adapt new curricula and new instructional techniques in their unique classroom contexts, just-in-time, job-embedded assistance was identified as crucial (Guskey & Yoon, 2009). Teacher preparation institutions must provide access to high quality mathematics education and create supportive learning environments for preservice teachers (Capraro, Capraro, Parker, Kulm, & Raulerson, 2005). Furthermore, engaging preservice teachers in authentic, situated practices of science and science teaching provides a productive context to learn about the nature of science (Schwartz, Lederman, & Crawford, 2004). Traditional teacher education programs often lack authentic connections between university-based teacher education courses and K-12 field experiences (Zeichner, 2007). Additionally, student teachers usually do not have opportunities to observe, try out and receive focused feedback about their teaching of methods learned in college courses. Darling-Hammond (2009) identified this lack of connection as the Achilles’ heel of teacher education. Preservice teachers are typically left to work alone with little guidance relating activities to coursework. Furthermore, it is often assumed that good teaching practices are personally identified as they occur, rather than taught in an authentic, situated context (DarlingHammond, 2009; Valencia, Martin, Place, & Grossman, 2009). A possible solution to these challenges is to prepare elementary and secondary teachers for grades 4-8 STEM instruction and the certification process by augmenting their science and mathematics content knowledge. Program Description Project Overview South Texas University (pseudonym) is testing an unconventional and transformative strategy for bolstering the elementary to middle levels science and mathematics teaching certification pathway for preservice teachers. As a nationally funded, research-based effort, a team of investigators are studying the impact of a new program initiative by using a mixed-methods matched-group research design addressing students, preand inservice teachers in relation to views on nature of science, as well as selfefficacy, interest, and achievement in science and mathematics as indicators of the quantity, quality, and diversity of grades 4-8 mathematics and science teachers. The purpose of this paper is to highlight initial findings using case-based studies to investigate preservice teachers’ changes in mathematics and science content knowledge and views of NOS in a site-based professional development program. During the 2013-2014 academic year, the 30-year teacher preparation partnership consisting of the largest school district and university in a mid-sized U.S. southern city, began implementing the new program at three participating schools, including one middle school and two elementary feeder schools serving a combined 1,900 students annually. Given the deficits identified in the effectiveness of traditional, externally designed professional development and the lack of authenticity in college preservice field-based experiences, program investigators created a new model for science and mathematics content instruction by incorporating siteand content-specific professional development with field-based experiences, using inquiry and other tools to increase authenticity. The key elements of the site-based professional development program includes a stronger partnership between the university and school district, a partnership with preservice and inservice teachers, implementation of research-based instructional practices in lesson planning sessions and workshops, and incorporating hands-on, activelearning experiences and strategies specific for each classroom situation. This study addressed the following research questions: 1) To what extent did pre-service teachers’ mathematics content knowledge change over the program period? 2) To what extent did pre-service teachers’ science content knowledge change over the program period? 3) To what extent did pre-service teachers’ views of `the nature of science change over the program period? Methods Context of the Study The College of Education teacher preparation program’s enrollment predominantly consists of preservice teachers seeking their early childhood/elementary teacher, grades EC-6 certification. Hence, the target population for this study was elementary preservice teachers in urban settings. Additionally, the program was offered to middle grades mathematics majors with the goal of them adding on a middle grades science certification. The EC-6 preservice teachers were enrolled in an undergraduate teacher preparation program and had taken three math foundation courses and two science foundation courses as part of their required courses. The middle grades mathematics majors had the same foundational courses in math and science as the elementary preservice teachers. The 4-8 mathematics majors had an additional 19 credits of mathematics coursework. The preservice teachers participated in this research study during their required year-long field experience, the final year of their program. The first semester of preservice teachers’ field experiences is the field based course, which focuses on the pedagogy and professional competencies of teachers. The course is comprised of students from a variety of disciplines. Therefore, the pedagogy component is not specific to the students’ major field of study. The field based course is hosted on-site at a K-12 school campus (partner school) and taught by a university site professor. The preservice teachers spend two days per week for 14 weeks working with their university site professor on pedagogical skills and time in assigned K-12 classrooms implementing teaching strategies and techniques with students. The second semester of field experiences is the student teaching semester, where preservice teachers spend five days a week for 14 weeks in a research partner school. In addition to field basing and student teaching, participants met after school to plan three inquiry-based lessons for STEM Thursday. The research participants were assigned to research partner schools and took their field-based courses over consecutive Fall-Spring semesters. In addition, participants received compensation for their participation. All preservice teachers’ names have been replaced with pseudonyms. The professional development efforts centered directly on providing authentic experiences in mathematics and science to enhance preservice teachers’ mathematics and science content knowledge and their understandings of NOS and scientific reasoning (Abd-El-Khalick & Lederman, 1998). The program’s professional development model consists of: 1) common planning 2) STEM Thursdays 3) certification workshops and 4) authentic research experiences. Common Planning. There are two common planning sessions held at each partner school per semester, for a total of six planning sessions led by university faculty during each semester. The common planning sessions offer a unique opportunity for mathematics and science inservice teachers to work alongside each other to plan collaborative lessons as they mentored preservice teachers. During the first part of the common planning sessions, preservice teachers and inservice mathematics and science teachers participate in professional development activities ranging from mathematics concepts and problem solving to inquiry-based teaching and nature of science understandings. During the second part of common planning time, t