An Exploration of Teachers' Efforts to Understand Identity Work and Its Relevance to Science Instruction

Autor/inn/en	Smith, M. Cecil; Darfler, Anne
Titel	An Exploration of Teachers' Efforts to Understand Identity Work and Its Relevance to Science Instruction
Quelle	In: Journal of Science Teacher Education, 23 (2012) 4, S.347-365 (19 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1046-560X
DOI	10.1007/s10972-012-9281-4
Schlagwörter	Science Careers; Teacher Characteristics; Science Achievement; Standardized Tests; Interests; Educational Change; Science Teachers; Grade 8; Developmental Tasks; Grade 12; Science Instruction; Secondary School Science; Accountability; Professional Development; United States + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Standadised tests; Standardisierter Test; Bildungsinteresse; Bildungsreform; Science; Teacher; Teachers; Science teacher; Wissenschaft; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; School year 08; 8. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 08; Entwicklungsaufgabe; School year 12; 12. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 12; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Verantwortung; USA
Abstract	US educators express concern that students are turning away from the study of science and have little interest in pursuing science careers. Nationally, science achievement scores for 8th graders are unchanged since 1996, but 12th graders' scores have significantly decreased. A shortcoming of education reform efforts is lack of attention to students' developmental needs. Science study should enable students to learn about themselves--to develop and refine their skills, define their values, explore personal interests, and understand the importance of science to themselves and others. Effective secondary science instruction requires attention to students' identity development--the key developmental task of adolescence. Secondary science teachers participated in an 8-week course focused on understanding adolescent identity development and methods for addressing identity. Transcripts of the teachers' online discussions of salient issues were analyzed to determine their perceptions regarding classroom identity work. Teachers identified several assets and obstacles to identity work that were organized into two broad categories: teacher knowledge, training opportunities, and administrative support, or lack of these; and, presence of inflexible curricula, standardized testing regimes, and increased teacher accountability. Implications for student growth and science teacher professional development are discussed. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10