ERIC Number: EJ1105353
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2149-214X
EISSN: N/A
Enhancing Teacher Beliefs through an Inquiry-Based Professional Development Program
McKeown, Tammy R.; Abrams, Lisa M.; Slattum, Patricia W.; Kirk, Suzanne V.
Journal of Education in Science, Environment and Health, v2 n1 p85-97 2016
Inquiry-based instructional approaches are an effective means to actively engage students with science content and skills. This article examines the effects of an ongoing professional development program on middle and high school teachers' efficacy beliefs, confidence to teach research concepts and skills, and science content knowledge. Professional development activities included participation in a week long summer academy, designing and implementing inquiry-based lessons within the classroom, examining and reflecting upon practices, and documenting ways in which instruction was modified. Teacher beliefs were assessed at three time points, pre-, post-, and six months following the summer academy. Results indicate significant gains in reported teaching efficacy, confidence, and content knowledge from pre- to post-test. These gains were maintained at the six month follow-up. Findings across the three different time points suggest that participation in the professional development program strongly influenced participants' fundamental beliefs about their capacity to provide effective instruction in ways that are closely connected to the features of inquiry-based instruction. [This article is available as a Grantee Submission, ED564044.]
Descriptors: Teacher Attitudes, Beliefs, Secondary School Teachers, Science Teachers, Science Instruction, Secondary School Science, Science Process Skills, Professional Development, Teacher Effectiveness, Self Efficacy, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Knowledge Level, Summer Science Programs, Instructional Design, Inquiry, Pretests Posttests, Achievement Gains, Instructional Effectiveness, Teacher Surveys, Attitude Measures, Statistical Analysis, Faculty Development
Journal of Education in Science, Environment and Health. Necmettin Erbakan University, Ahmet Kelesoglu Education Faculty, Meram, Konya 42090, Turkey. e-mail: jeseh.info@gmail.com; Web site: http://www.jeseh.net
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (DHHS)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: R25OD01098303