ERIC Number: EJ760914
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Apr
Pages: 23
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1046-560X
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Available Date: N/A
The Effect of a Mentoring Model for Elementary Science Professional Development
Koch, Janice; Appleton, Ken
Journal of Science Teacher Education, v18 n2 p209-231 Apr 2007
This study describes an elementary science model of professional development through mentoring by university science education professors working with teachers at a private elementary school in a regional city in Queensland, Australia. A cross-cultural collaboration involving professors from the United States and Australia resulted in the socially constructed image of the science education mentor. While there is no generic model for elementary science mentoring, results of data collection reveal that (a) one-to-one mentoring has short-term implications for implementing constructivist science teaching practices; (b) successful mentoring models include facilitating the understanding of science content, exploring elementary science pedagogical content knowledge through modeling, and off-site professional development workshops; and (c) understanding and working from the predispositions of the teachers is an essential component of effective professional development.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Teaching Methods, Science Education, Faculty Development, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Mentors, Elementary School Science, Constructivism (Learning), Science Instruction, Science Teachers, College Faculty, College School Cooperation, Urban Schools, Teacher Collaboration, Knowledge Base for Teaching, Elementary School Teachers
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia; United States
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A