In these discussions, the teacher helps students to resolve dissonances between the way they initially understood a phenomenon and the new evidence. In this section we describe the difficulty school administrators encounter when they try to support effective laboratory teaching. Center for Education. The extent of student learning in any educational environment depends largely on the effectiveness of the instructors. A series of studies conducted over the past several decades has shown that teachers are one of the most important factors influencing students. 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. little information is available on the effectiveness of these efforts. Presentation to the Committee on High School Science Laboratories: Role and Vision, July 12-13, National Research Council, Washington, DC. Teachers play a critical role in leading laboratory experiences in ways that support student learning. Research conducted in teacher education programs provides some evidence of the quality of preservice science education (Windschitl, 2004). In addition to science content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge, teachers also need general pedagogical knowledge in order to moderate ongoing discussion and reflection on laboratory activities, and supervise group work. Educational Policy, 17(5), 613-649. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research. The paraprofessional would help with setup, cleanup, community contacts, searching for resources, and other types of support (National Science Teachers Association, 1990). Since the 19th century, when schools began to teach science systematically, the laboratory has become a distinctive feature of chemistry learning. Google Scholar Laboratory teaching assumes that first-hand experience in observation and manipulation of the materials of science is superior to other methods of developing understanding and appreciation. The actual crime scene processing takes place in one day and the entire project can take up to 7 depending on your schedule. Prepare lab apparatus and equipment. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 24(2), 81-112. In doing so, they showed teachers how laboratory experiences. Slotta, J.D. Shared teacher planning time may be a critical support for improved laboratory teaching, because of the unique nature of laboratory education. (2000). Periodic checks indicated that the science internship helped teachers improve their understanding of [the nature of science] and [science inquiry]. 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. Life in science laboratory classrooms at the tertiary level. 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). Supovitz, J.A., Mayer, D.P., and Kahle, J. In L.P. Steffe and J. Gale (Eds. Typically, states require only that teachers obtain post-baccalaureate credits within a certain period of time after being hired and then earn additional credits every few years thereafter. Teachers also need to know how to judge the quality of students oral presentations. Pomeroy, D. (1993). Use these dos and donts to help you think about what you can do to be a successful new instructor: Allen, D., OConnell, R., Percha, B., Erickson, B., Nord, B., Harper, D., Bialek, J., & Nam E. (2009). The following 10 roles are a sampling of the many ways teachers can contribute to their schools' success. Do higher salaries buy better teachers? ), International handbook of science education (pp. What can they contribute to science learning? National Research Council. Loucks-Horsley, Love, Stiles, Mundry, and Hewson (2003) provide a detailed design framework for professional development and descriptions of case studies, identifying strategies for improving science teaching that may be applicable to improving laboratory teaching. In a guided-inquiry laboratory (GIL), the teacher provides the students with a question, or set of questions, and the students design an experiment to address the question(s). The design of this professional development program incorporated the principle of integrating laboratory experiences into the stream of instruction and the goal of providing a full range of laboratory experiences, including opportunities for students to participate in developing research questions and procedures. Rethinking the continuum of preparation and professional development for secondary science educators. van Zee, E., and Minstrell, J. 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). Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. At this time, however, some educators have begun to question seriously the effectiveness and the role of laboratory work, and the case for laboratory . (2003). Science Teacher, September, 38-41. (2001b). Finally, an . The culture of education. Songer, C., and Mintzes, J. Paper prepared for the Committee on High School Science Laboratories: Role and Vision, July 12-13, National Research Council, Washington, DC. (2002). Davis, and P. Bell (Eds. 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 This is knowledge drawn from learning theory and research that helps to explain how students develop understanding of scientific ideas. The role of the laboratory in science teaching: Neglected aspects of research. Gess-Newsome, J., and Lederman, N. (1993). Available at: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/March_29-30_2004_High_School_Labs_Meeting_Agenda.html [accessed Oct. 2005]. Committee on High School Biology Education, Commission on Life Sciences. No national survey data are available to indicate whether science teachers receive adequate preparation time or assistance from trained laboratory technicians. A professor engaged upper level chemistry majors in trying to create a foolproof laboratory activity to illustrate the chemistry of amines for introductory students. the photo below). The committee identified a limited portfolio of examples of promising approaches to professional development that may support teachers in leading laboratory experiences designed with clear learning outcomes in mind, thoughtfully sequenced into the flow of classroom science instruction, integrating the learning of science content and process, and incorporating ongoing student reflection and discussion. The research team focused the curriculum on helping students understand these principles, including flow principles, rate principles, total heat flow principles, and an integration principle. Educational Policy, 14(3), 331-356. Windschitl, M. (2004). Although the time frame of the study prevented analysis of whether the teacher communities were sustained over time, the results suggest that school districts can use focused professional development as a way to create strong teaching communities with the potential to support continued improvement in laboratory teaching and learning. Cognition and Instruction, 15(4), 485-529. (1994). When students have more freedom to pose questions or to identify and carry out procedures, they require greater guidance to ensure that their laboratory activities help them to master science subject matter and progress toward the other goals of laboratory experiences. Engaging students in analysis of data gathered in the laboratory and in developing and revising explanatory models for those data requires teachers to be familiar with students practical equipment skills and science content knowledge and be able to engage in sophisticated scientific reasoning themselves. International Journal of Science Education 22(7), 665-701. Participant teachers were also interviewed. Arlington, VA: National Science Foundation. 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). 4.8. Reynolds (Ed. Paper prepared for the Committee on High School Science Laboratories: Role and Vision, June 3-4, National Research Council, Washington, DC. Over the course of a years worth of pedagogical preparation and field experiences, the new teachers began to reorganize their knowledge of biology according to how they thought it should be taught. Laboratory Instructors are responsible for maintaining the routine preventative maintenance of all laboratory equipment. Emerging issues and practices in science assessment. (2004). Coffey, Everyday assessment in the science classroom (pp. Designing professional development for teachers of science and mathematics. 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. This earlier research indicated that, just as engaging students in laboratory experiences in isolation led to little or no increase in their understanding of the nature of science, engaging prospective or current science teachers in laboratory activities led to little or no increase in their understanding of the nature of science. Scientific laboratories, college and university science departments, and science museums have launched efforts to support high school science teachers in improving laboratory teaching. Mathematics and science teachers reported more frequently than other teachers that job dissatisfaction was the reason they left their jobs. This paper explores the role of laboratory and field-based research experiences in secondary science education by summarizing research documenting how such activities promote science learning. Volunteers receive training, a sourcebook of activities appropriate for middle school students, a kit of science materials, and a set of videotapes. Knowledge of students cultures and languages and the ability to communicate across cultures are necessary to carry out laboratory experiences that build on diverse students sense of wonder and engage them in science learning. This is not a simple task (National Research Council, 2001b, p. 79): To accurately gauge student understanding requires that teachers engage in questioning and listen carefully to student responses. In 2000, according to a nationally representative survey of science teachers, most school administrators provided inadequate time for shared planning and reflection to improve instruction. fessional development aligned with the curricula leads to increases in students progress toward the goals of laboratory experiences (Slotta, 2004). Administrators allocate time, like other resources, as a way to support teachers in carrying out these routines. In M.D. 249-262). Ready to take your reading offline? But those connections are not enough: science sense-making discourse must also help students to develop understanding of a given science concept and create links between theory and observable phenomena. Educational Researcher, 27, 12-21. It appears that the uneven quality of current high school laboratory experiences is due in part to the preparation of science teachers to lead these experiences. Weiss, I.R., Pasley, J.D., Smith, P.S., Banilower, E.R., and Heck, D.J. Reston, VA: Association of Teacher Educators. The role of the laboratory in science teaching: Neglected aspects of research. One theme that emerges from such research is that the content knowledge gained from undergraduate work is often superficial and not well integrated. Laboratory experiments Raleigh: Science House, North Carolina State University. They also modeled longer postlaboratory activities focused on using student data and observations as the engine for further instruction. It may also be because teachers lack the content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, general pedagogical knowledge, and knowledge of assessment required to lead such discussions (Maienschein, 2004; Windschitl, 2004). Formulating research questions appropriate for a science classroom and leading student discussions are two important places where the interaction of the four types of knowledge is most evident. Active learning opportunities focused on analysis of teaching and learning. Effects of professional development on teachers instruction: Results from a three-year longitudinal study. Organizational conditions that support inquiry in high school science instruction. They must guide and focus ongoing discussion and reflection with individuals, laboratory groups, and the entire class. Cobus van Breda was born and schooled in Windhoek, Namibia. They must consider how to clearly communicate the learning goals of the laboratory experience to their students. (2004). Chapel Hill, NC: Horizon Research. Finally, adequate time is essential for student learning in laboratory experiences. Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email. Teachers and teacher aides should lead by example and wear personal protective equipment (PPE); follow and enforce safety rules, procedures, and practices; and demonstrate safety behavior to promote a culture of safety. The main role of a teaching assistant is to provide support to the course instructor to ensure the effective delivery of the required materials and to foster a positive learning environment. 99-138). Evaluating the evidence. (2001). They also spend a week doing laboratory research with a scientist mentor at the Fred Hutchinson Center or one of several other participating public and private research institutions in Seattle. Zahopoulos, C. (2003). Helping students attain the learning goals of laboratory experiences requires their teachers to have broad and deep understanding of both the processes and outcomes of scientific research. Does teacher certification matter? Available at: http://www.educationnext.org/20021/50.html [accessed Feb. 2005]. Deep disciplinary expertise is necessary to help students learn to use laboratory tools and procedures and to make observations and gather data. Atkin and J.E. School administrators can take several approaches to providing time for this type of ongoing discussion and reflection that supports student learning during laboratory experiences. (2000). The California Institute of Technology has a program to help scientists and graduate students work with teachers in elementary school classrooms in the Pasadena school district. (2004). Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39(3), 205-236. The National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education: Trends from 1977 to 2000. Science Education, 85(3), 263-278. The program was designed in part to address weakness in science teachers understanding of the nature of science, which was documented in earlier research (Khalic and Lederman, 2000; Schwartz and Lederman, 2002). Project ICAN includes an intensive three-day summer orientation for science teachers followed by full-day monthly workshops from September through June, focusing on the nature of science and scientific inquiry. Maienschein, J. ), Internet environments for science education. (2002). take place in a school laboratory, but could also occur in an out-of-school setting, such as the student's home or in the field (e.g. Literature review: The role of the teacher in inquiry-based education. Teacher awareness of students science needs and capabilities may be enhanced through ongoing formative assessment. Gamoran and others studied six sites where teachers and educational researchers collaborated to reform science and mathematics teaching, focusing on teaching for understanding. Ferguson, R. (1998). (2004). Learning to teach inquiry science in a technology-based environment: A case study. Harlen, W. (2000). In contrast to these short, ineffective approaches, consensus is growing in the research about key features of high-quality professional development for mathematics and science teachers (DeSimone, Porter, Garet, Yoon, and Birman, 2002; DeSimone et al., 2003, p. 10): New forms of professional development (i.e., study group, teacher network, mentoring, or task force, internship, or individual research project with a scientist) in contrast to the traditional workshop or conference. Catley, K. (2004). Davis, and P. Bell (Eds. In many cases teachers ranked in-service training as their least effective source of learning (Windschitl, 2004, p. 16; emphasis in original). Examining the effects of a highly rated curriculum unit on diverse students: Results from a planning grant. In this section, we describe the types of teacher knowledge and skills that may be required to lead a range of laboratory experiences aligned with our design principles, comparing the required skills with evidence about the current state of teachers knowledge and skills. These strategies included arranging seating to facilitate student discussion, requiring students to supply evidence to support their claims, encouraging students to explain concepts to one another, and having students work in cooperative groups. These workshops include microteaching (peer presentation) sessions. location_onUniversity of Michigan Using questioning to assess and foster student thinking. Science Education, 77(3), 301-317. light, such as reflection, transmission, and absorption. (2001). The final section concludes that there are many barriers to improving laboratory teaching and learning in the current school environment. McDiarmid, G.W. Henderson, A.T., and Mapp, K.L. Implications of teachers beliefs about the nature of science: Comparisons of the beliefs of scientists, secondary science teachers, and elementary science teachers. Beyond process. During the school year, teachers may access kits of materials supporting laboratory experiences that use biomedical research tools. Copyright 2023 National Academy of Sciences. Welcome to the Science Education Partnership. Once again. In N.M. Lambert and B.L. NSTA position statement: Laboratory science. 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). Laboratories in science education: Understanding the history and nature of science. Crime scenes are set up and the students play the role of Crime Scene Investigators to process the scene. Evaluating the evidence on teacher certification: A rejoinder. However, compared with other types of professionals, a higher proportion of teachers leave their positions each year. (1995). 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. Science Education, 77(1), 25-46. Constructivist approaches to science teaching. Project ICAN: Inquiry, Context, and Nature of Science. Goldhaber, D.D., and Brewer, D.J. In K. Howey and N. Zimpher (Eds. Boys and girls in the performance-based classroom: Whos doing the performing? Qualified high school teachers will have opportunities to work and learn at the Argonne, Brookhaven, Lawrence Berkeley, Oak Ridge, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratories and at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The school science laboratory: Considerations of learning, technology, and scientific practice. Most states do not regulate the quality and content of professional development required for renewal of teaching certificates (Hirsch, Koppich, and Knapp, 2001). to the content of textbooks, to visual aids, or to laboratory equipment. Other duties include reinforcing laboratory housekeeping and safety protocol, coordinating with other engineering departments, and receiving, installing, and maintaining laboratory supplies and equipment. Austin, TX: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory. Currently, teachers rarely provide opportunities for students to participate in formulating questions to be addressed in the laboratory. After completion of the course, teachers classroom behaviors were videotaped and analyzed against traditional and reformed instructional strategies. Pedagogical content knowledge can help teachers and curriculum developers identify attainable science learning goals, an essential step toward designing laboratory experiences with clear learning goals in mind. A student lab assistant ensures that students do not practice any unsafe behaviors in the lab. Providing more focused, effective, and sustained professional development activities for more science teachers requires not only substantial financial resources and knowledge of effective professional development approaches, but also a coherent, coordinated approach at the school and district level. For example, HHMI has funded summer teacher training workshops at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory for many years, and also supports an ongoing partnership between the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the Seattle, Washington, public schools (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 2003). Time constraints can also discourage teachers from the challenges of setting up and testing laboratory equipment and materials. To determine the current role of laboratory schools in the United States, the 123 existing laboratory schools were surveyed. Teachers design and carry out an open-ended field research project, of their own choosing. Available at: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/June_3-4_2004_High_School_Labs_Meeting_Agenda.html [accessed Oct. 2004]. The elementary level science methods course: Breeding ground of an apprehension toward science? Educational Researcher, 15, 4-14. Erroneous ideas about respiration: The teacher factor. Available at: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/June_3-4_2004_High_School_Labs_Meeting_Agenda.html [accessed May 2005]. Why staying ahead one chapter doesnt really work: Subject-specific pedagogy. . In a year-long study of prospective biology teachers (Gess-Newsome and Lederman, 1993), the participants reported never having thought about the central ideas of biology or the interrelationships among the topics. Paper presented at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching meeting, March 23, Chicago, IL. To be successful in leading students across the range of laboratory experiences we have described, teachers must choose laboratory experiences that are appropriate at any given time. Despite the weakness of current professional development for laboratory teaching, a growing body of research indicates that it is possible to develop and implement professional development that would support improved laboratory teaching and learning. Retired scientists and engineers: Providing in-classroom support to K-12 science teachers. Improving high school science teachers capacity to lead laboratory experiences effectively is critical to advancing the educational goals of these experiences. Statistical analysis report. Students cannot be admitted to the classroom until you arrive. On the basis of a review of the available research, Lunetta (1998, p. 253) suggests that, for students, time should be provided for engaging students in driving questions, for team planning, for feedback about the nature and meaning of data, and for discussion of the implications of findings, and laboratory journals should provide opportunities for individual students to reflect upon and clarify their own observations, hypotheses, conceptions.. Westbrook, S., and Marek, E. (1992). Further research is needed to examine the scope and effectiveness of the many individual programs and initiatives. What types of knowledge do teachers use to engage learners in doing science? It was implemented over four day-long Saturday sessions spread over a semester. Sutman, F.X., Schmuckler, J.S., Hilosky, A.B., Priestly, H.S., and Priestly, W.J. As students analyze observations from the laboratory in search of patterns or explanations, develop and revise conjectures, and build lines of reasoning about why their proposed claims or explanations are or are not true, the teacher supports their learning by conducting sense-making discussions (Mortimer and Scott, 2003; van Zee and Minstrell, 1997; Hammer, 1997; Windschitl, 2004; Bell, 2004; Brown and Campione, 1998; Bruner, 1996; Linn, 1995; Lunetta, 1998; Clark, Clough, and Berg, 2000; Millar and Driver, 1987). (1998). Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available. The web-based inquiry science environment (WISE): Scaffolding knowledge integration in the science classroom. Linn, E.A. The National Science Teachers Association takes a slightly different position, suggesting that administrators provide teachers with a competent paraprofessional. 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. Key words: Laboratory, chemistry, teaching, achievement, students. At this time, however, some educators have begun to question seriously the effectiveness and the role of laboratory Lab's History Department, which is responsible for educating students in grades 9-12, seeks a teacher with expertise and experience teaching Modern Global or Modern World History coursework. A focus on deepening teachers knowledge of science or mathematics. Hofstein, A., and Lunetta, V.N. Teachers need to use data drawn from conversations, observations, and previous student work to make informed decisions about how to help them move toward desired goals. Forty-seven percent completed and returned the questionnaire.