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. Forty-seven percent completed and returned the questionnaire. Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available. 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. Laboratory activities have long had a distinct and central role in the science curriculum as a means of making sense of the natural world. They lock up all the reagents and unplug all electrical equipment to minimize the chances of accidents and fires. Ingersoll, R. (2003). on specific instructional practices increased teachers use of these practices in the classroom. School administrators can take several approaches to providing time for this type of ongoing discussion and reflection that supports student learning during laboratory experiences. Mortimer, E., and Scott, P. (2003). (2004). One study illustrates undergraduate students lack of exposure to the full range of scientists activities, and the potential benefits of engaging them in a broader range of experiences. Improving teachers in-service professional development in mathematics and science: The role of postsecondary institutions. Science Teacher, September, 38-41. Deng, Z. Formative assessment, that is, continually assessing student progress in order to guide further instruction, appears to enhance student attainment of the goals of laboratory education. One study found that having an advanced degree in science was associated with increased student science learning from the 8th to the 10th grade (Goldhaber and Brewer, 1997). For example, in developing the Computers as Learning Partners science curriculum unit, Linn and colleagues researched how well models of thermodynamics at various levels of abstraction supported students learning. They must consider how to clearly communicate the learning goals of the laboratory experience to their students. Available at: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/June_3-4_2004_High_School_Labs_Meeting_Agenda.html [accessed May 2005]. light, such as reflection, transmission, and absorption. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 6(2), 120-124. A science methodology course for middle and high school teachers offered experience in using the findings from laboratory investigations as the driving force for further instruction (Priestley, Priestly, and Schmuckler, 1997). The role of the laboratory in science teaching: Neglected aspects of research. The teachers skills in posing questions and leading discussions affect students ability to build meaning from their laboratory experiences. 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. 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). Lee, O., and Fradd, S.H. Bell, P. (2004). In addition, there is little research on whether use of block scheduling influences teachers instruction or enhances student learning. The available evidence indicates that the current science teaching workforce lacks the knowledge and skills required to lead a range of effective laboratory experiences. (2002). Professional development opportunities for science teachers are limited in quality, availability, and scope and place little emphasis on laboratory instruction. They should be proactive in every aspect of laboratory safety, making safety a priority. Fraser and K.G. Key words: Laboratory, chemistry, teaching, achievement, students. The National Research Council (NRC) Committee on Science and Mathematics Teacher preparation stated that studies conducted over the past quarter century increasingly point to a strong correlation between student achievement in K-12 science and mathematics and the teaching quality and level of knowledge of K-12 teachers of science and mathematics (National Research Council, 2001a, p. 4). View our suggested citation for this chapter. 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 Journal of Research on Science Teaching, 37, 963-980. (2003). The elementary level science methods course: Breeding ground of an apprehension toward science? East Lansing, MI: National Center for Research in Teacher Education. In reviewing the state of biology education in 1990, an NRC committee concluded that few teachers had the knowledge or skill to lead effective laboratory experiences and recommended that "major new programs should be developed for providing in-service education on laboratory activities" (National Research Council, 1990, p. 34). Participation of groups of teachers from the same school, department, or grade. In many cases teachers ranked in-service training as their least effective source of learning (Windschitl, 2004, p. 16; emphasis in original). These studies confirm earlier research findings that even the best science curriculum cannot teach itself and that the teachers role is central in helping students build understanding from laboratory experiences and other science learning activities (Driver, 1995). All rights reserved. The changing nature of work: Implications for occupational analysis. TA may not leave the lab unattended while students are in the room. Available at: http://www.fhcrc.org/education/sep/ [accessed Feb. 2005]. The teachers, all biology majors, could only list the courses they had taken as a way to organize their fields. At Vanderbilt University, Catley conducts a summer-long course on research in organismal biology. (2002). 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. Guiding students through the complexity and ambiguity of empirical. Science Teacher (October), 40-43. Among teachers who acted as heads of science departments, 21 percent indicated that the lack of opportunities for teachers to share ideas was a serious problem for science instruction (Smith et al., 2002). These workshops include microteaching (peer presentation) sessions. The group employs a variety of long-term strategies, such as engaging teachers in curriculum development and adaptation, action research, and providing on-site support by lead teachers (Linn, 1997; Lederman, 2004). It will show you how laboratory sessions can differ with respect to their aim and expected learning . Teachers help their colleagues by sharing instructional resources. Science teachers behavior in the classroom is influenced by the science curriculum, educational standards, and other factors, such as time constraints and the availability of facilities and supplies. 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. Chapel Hill, NC: Horizon Research. Educational Policy, 17(5), 613-649. (2004). National Research Council. School districts, teachers, and others may want to consider these examples, but further research is needed to determine their scope and effectiveness. In M.C. 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. The condition of education. location_onUniversity of Michigan McDiarmid, G.W. Henderson, A.T., and Mapp, K.L. Teachers require deep conceptual knowledge of a science discipline not only to lead laboratory experiences that are designed according to the research, but also to lead a full range of laboratory experiences reflecting the range of activities of scientists (see Chapter 1). Respecting childrens own ideas. 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). 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. Sanders, M. (1993). Project ICAN: Inquiry, Context, and Nature of Science. In the ICAN program, teachers participate in science internships with working scientists as one element in a larger program of instruction that includes an initial orientation and monthly workshops. Other duties include reinforcing laboratory housekeeping and safety protocol, coordinating with other engineering departments, and receiving, installing, and maintaining laboratory supplies and equipment. Deng (2001) describes pedagogical content knowledge for science teachers as an understanding of key scientific concepts that is somewhat different from that of a scientist. Copyright 2023 National Academy of Sciences. One theme that emerges from such research is that the content knowledge gained from undergraduate work is often superficial and not well integrated. In addition to the many programs to increase teachers knowledge and abilities discussed above, the scientific community sometimes engages scientists to work directly with students. Constructivist approaches to science teaching. Research conducted in teacher education programs provides some evidence of the quality of preservice science education (Windschitl, 2004). It means figuring out what students comprehend by listening to them during their discussions about science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 20, 745-754. London, England: Kluwer Academic. In a case study of his experience, this professor called for reducing science teachers class loads so they have more time to reflect on and improve their own practice. School administrators play a critical role in supporting the successful integration of laboratory experiences in high school science by providing improved approaches to professional development and adequate time for teacher planning and implementation of laboratory experiences. Clark, R.L., Clough, M.P., and Berg, C.A. In doing so, they showed teachers how laboratory experiences. ), The black-white test score gap. Haase, B.S. Committee on Science and Mathematics Teacher Preparation, Center for Education. Chapel Hill, NC: Horizon Research. Review of Educational Research, 52 (2), 201-217. Tobin (Eds. Committee on High School Biology Education, Commission on Life Sciences. Anderson, C., Sheldon, T., and Dubay, J. They are relevant for new lab instructors in a wide range of disciplines.