The impact of science content and professional learning communities on science teaching efficacy and standards-based instruction

2010 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 534-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aruna Lakshmanan ◽  
Barbara P. Heath ◽  
Aaron Perlmutter ◽  
Michael Elder
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Science Teaching ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teaching Efficacy ◽  
Science Content ◽  
Based Instruction ◽  
Science Teaching Efficacy ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals ENHANCING PERFORMANCE AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING AMONG HIGHER DIPLOMA SCIENCE TEACHERS USING COGNITIVE APPRENTICESHIP MODE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (20) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzan Mahmoud Abu-Hudra
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Science Teaching ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Teaching Strategies ◽  
Teaching Efficacy ◽  
Cognitive Apprenticeship ◽  
Efficacy Beliefs ◽  
Science Teaching Efficacy ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Personal Science Teaching Efficacy

The focus of the expert interaction in a cognitive apprenticeship is on developing cognitive skills of reflection through discourse and application of knowledge. The propose of this study explanatory a method for enhancing the effectiveness of cognitive apprenticeship theory for improving personal science teaching efficacy beliefs of higher diploma preservice teachers. The research is based on the study of the impact of cognitive apprenticeship in studying science materials. The study involved 22 teachers (20-30 years) enrolled in 14-week Science teaching strategies course in the high general diploma in Science and Humanities College-Jubail, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Saudi Arabia. The instrument contained 23 items and divided into two sub-scales: 13 items measuring personal science teaching efficacy PSTE and 10 items measuring science teaching outcome efficacy STOE. The quantitative findings showed a continuous statistically significant linear increase between before and after course measures of PSTE. However, a slight decrease in their PSTE was observed in the final post-course measure that is a commonly observed long-term effect after many educational interventions. A t-test determined that the decline was not statistically significant, indicating that teaching internship had no significant effect on the preservice teachers' science teaching efficacy beliefs. The study provides a significant evidence to suggest that the preservice teachers perceived that their learning experience in the Science teaching strategies course by cognitive apprenticeship methods was unique when compared to before teaching methods courses taken.    

Identifying coaching approaches that enable teachers' moral learning in professional learning communities

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 375-392
Author(s):  
Helma De Keijzer ◽  
Gaby Jacobs ◽  
Jacqueline Van Swet ◽  
Wiel Veugelers
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Safe Environment ◽  
Moral Learning ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis study sought to identify those approaches used by coaches that enable teachers' moral learning in professional learning communities (PLCs). Coaches who support moral learning focus on questioning values, beliefs and bias, which is in contrast with learning only (new) knowledge or skills.Design/methodology/approachThis was an exploratory case study. Eleven meetings of three PLCs were observed; each PLC consisted of four teachers and one teacher–coach. Semi-structured interviews with the coaches were conducted to gain information about their approaches. Data were analysed using supportive coaching approaches derived from educational literature.FindingsIn total, 14 specific approaches regarding the support given by coaches for teachers' moral learning were identified. Four characteristics of coaches' attitudes that guided their approaches and seemed valuable in supporting moral learning were also identified. The findings showed the tensions the coaches encountered – for example, when balancing between offering a safe environment and encouraging critical reflection.Practical implicationsWith coaches' support, teachers can develop a more thoughtful understanding of the meaning of values, beliefs and bias for their actions in teaching practice.Social implicationsMaking explicit, and exploring precisely, what coaches do to support teachers' moral learning are useful for designing and improving professional development programmes that promote moral learning.Originality/valueThe research reported in this paper outlines how coaches can encourage teachers' awareness of the impact of their actions on pupils, which, in turn, helps teachers to meet the complex moral challenges of their practice.

scholarly journals Union Contracts and Teacher Professional Development

2001 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 26
Author(s):  
Paul V. Bredeson
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Professional Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Teacher Professional Development ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Interview Data ◽  
Teacher Union ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
The Impact

In this article, I report the results of an investigation that examined the impact of teacher union contracts on the development of professional learning communities in schools. There are three primary sources of data used in the study: 1) 100 written teacher union contract documents; 2) structured interview data from 21 educators (school superintendents, principals, directors of staff development, and teacher union representatives; and 3) focus group interview data from educational leaders in schools. The analysis and discussion focus on five areas related to teacher professional development with implications for policy and practice: explicit language covering opportunities for teaching learning in their work; governance and decision making structures, that is, specific provisions covering wages, hours, and conditions of employment; the description of legitimate and sponsored activities for the professional development of teachers; and the resources supporting the on-going professional growth of teachers. The findings indicate that rethinking, restructuring, and organizational re-culturing in schools are initial expressions of a new unionism that has the potential to lead to the development of more powerful professional learning communities in schools.

scholarly journals Effects of consultation on professional learning communities

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
June Laney Preast
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Baseline Phase ◽  
Baseline Design ◽  
Collaborative Engagement ◽  
Rti Model ◽  
Problem Solving Teams ◽  
The Impact

School consultation has been used to increase fidelity of implementation for team processes (Burns, Peters, and Noell, 2008) and resulting interventions (Noell, Witt, Gilbertson, Ranier, and Freeland, 1997). Professional learning communities are teacher teams with the overall purpose of changing educator behavior through collaborative engagement with colleagues and use of data to inform instructional practices (DuFour, Eaker, and DuFour, 2005; McLaughlin and Talbert, 2006). School-based teams, such as problem-solving teams, do not often follow implementation guidelines (Burns and Symington, 2002), thus hindering a crucial element of a successful response to intervention (RTI) model (Burns and Coolong-Chaffin, 2006). The discussion of student data and intervention strategies happening within PLCs is important for the continuation of an RTI model within schools (Burns and Gibbons, 2012). ... Each team was observed with the rubric using a multiple baseline design, including baseline, intervention, and maintenance phases. The intervention phase involved the researcher providing consultation on an identified area of weakness and guiding the team through an intervention, using an instructional consultation framework. The results from the study indicated a change in PLC implementation when consultation was added. Each team displayed an improvement in their implementation of PLC practices that was maintained after consultation ended. However, the improvements for each team during the intervention and maintenance phases were small, in comparison to the baseline phase. Future research is needed to determine the impact of consultation with PLCs on student outcomes. Implications for research and practice, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document