Dataset Information

Teacher Perceptions of Their Curricular and Pedagogical Shifts: Outcomes of a Project-Based Model of Teacher Professional Development in the Next Generation Science Standards.

ABSTRACT: In this study, we conducted a model of teacher professional development (PD) on the alignment of middle and high school curricula and instruction to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSSs), and evaluated the impact of the PD on teacher participants' development. The PD model included a 4-day summer academy emphasizing project-based learning (PBL) in the designing of NGSS-aligned curricula and instruction, as well as monthly follow-up Professional Learning Community meetings throughout the year providing numerous opportunities for teachers to develop and implement lesson plans, share results of lesson writing and implementation (successes and challenges), provide mutual feedback, and refine curricula and assessments. Following the summer academy, six female teachers were interviewed about their current conceptualizations of NGSS, the extent of curricular shifts made that are required by NGSS, their self-perceptions regarding their level of accomplishment in curriculum writing, and the benefits of the PD in reaching their goals related to NGSS. Interviews were supplemented with an analysis of lesson plans written while participating in the PD program. The interviewed teachers suggested that they had made important conceptual and pedagogical shifts required by NGSS as they participated in the PD, and also noted a variety of challenges as they made this shift. While all teachers were relative novices at NGSS curriculum writing before the PD, most of the teachers interviewed felt that they had achieved the status of an "accomplished novice" following the summer academy. An analysis of their written lessons suggested a great range in the extent to which teachers effectively applied their understanding of NGSS to write lessons aligned to NGSS. Interviewed teachers believed that the PD model was helpful to their development as science teachers, and all reported that there were no aspects of the PD that were not helpful. Even though most teachers obtained a basic understanding and conceptualization of NGSS and PBL, their application of this understanding in their curriculum writing varied. The present study may help to inform future efforts to support teachers to align curricula and instruction to NGSS through teacher PD.

SUBMITTER: Shernoff DJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5472689 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Teacher Perceptions of Their Curricular and Pedagogical Shifts: Outcomes of a Project-Based Model of Teacher Professional Development in the Next Generation Science Standards.

Shernoff David J DJ Sinha Suparna S Bressler Denise M DM Schultz Dawna D

Frontiers in psychology 20170616

In this study, we conducted a model of teacher professional development (PD) on the alignment of middle and high school curricula and instruction to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSSs), and evaluated the impact of the PD on teacher participants' development. The PD model included a 4-day summer academy emphasizing project-based learning (PBL) in the designing of NGSS-aligned curricula and instruction, as well as monthly follow-up Professional Learning Community meetings throughout the ...[more]

PMID: 28670294

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Project description:TheoryThe perceived value of study material may have implications on learning and long-term retention. This study compares the perceived value of basic science of medical students from schools with a traditional "2+2" curriculum and the USMLE Step 1 placed before core clerkships to those from medical schools that have undergone curricular revisions, resulting in shortened pre-clerkship curricula and administration of the USMLE Step 1 after core clerkships.HypothesisWe hypothesize that differences in curricula, particularly duration of pre-clerkship curriculum and timing of the USMLE Step 1, affect medical students' perceived value of basic science.MethodsA twenty item anonymous questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale was developed to assess medical students' perceptions of basic science. The questionnaire was distributed to third-year medical students across four medical schools. Generalized linear models and p-values were calculated comparing the perceived value and use of basic science between medical schools with the USMLE Step 1 before clerkships and 2-years of basic science (BC) and medical schools with the USMLE Step 1 after core clerkships and 1.5-years of basic science (AC).ResultsThe questionnaire was distributed to 695 eligible students and completed by 287 students. Students at BC schools tended to view basic science as more essential for clinical practice than students at AC schools across both outcomes (rating independence of basic science and clinical practice, AC school mean = 2.97, BC school mean = 2.73, p = 0.0017; rating importance of basic science to clinical practice, AC school mean = 3.30, BC schools mean = 3.50, p = 0.0135).ConclusionsOur study suggests that students who have a longer basic science curriculum tend to value basic science greater than students with a shorter basic science curriculum. The timing of the USMLE Step 1 may also influence this relationship. Curricular decisions, such as reductions in pre-clerkship curricula and administration of the USMLE Step 1 after clerkships, may impact medical students' perceptions of the value of basic science to clinical practice. This can have implications on their future engagement with basic science and should be considered when modifying curriculum.

Project description:As libraries struggle to keep pace with the changing societal landscape, emerging practices such as citizen science (CS) initiatives are being incorporated to reinforce the idea of public libraries as gathering, meeting, and collaboration spaces within the context of shared community and shared learning resources. However, there is little empirical evidence of whether the most open and participatory ways that CS puts forward can converge with and be nurtured by the essence of public libraries. Also, the roles of librarians and users in the 'next generation public library' have been under-developed. As the number of CS initiatives at public libraries grows, so does the need to collect evidence on the impact and the capacity of assimilation of CS practices. The data describes librarians and users' perceptions of participating in a citizen science project. Two hands-on activities for librarians of the Barcelona Network of Public Libraries were implemented. One was a training course for 30 librarians from 24 libraries which allowed them to envisage citizen science implementation in each library. The second activity consisted in the co-creation of a citizen social science project. 40 library users, 7 librarians from 3 different cities, and professional scientists, were involved. The data on librarians and users' perception was collected through participant observation, surveys, and a focus group to identify strengths and challenges of implementing citizen science at public libraries. The data covers librarians and users attitudes towards citizen science, their motivations to participate, their perceived ability to implement a citizen science project (as for librarians) or to contribute to science (as for library users), and the participants intention to keep engaged with citizen science, drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Responses to closed-ended survey questions are analyzed at a descriptive level. The qualitative feedback from the focus group and the open-ended survey question on motivations is subjected to a thematic analysis. The data offers interesting insights to identify opportunities and challenges of implementing citizen science at public libraries, contributing to the debate over the public library's mission as local community hub.

Dataset Information

Teacher Perceptions of Their Curricular and Pedagogical Shifts: Outcomes of a Project-Based Model of Teacher Professional Development in the Next Generation Science Standards.

Publications

Teacher Perceptions of Their Curricular and Pedagogical Shifts: Outcomes of a Project-Based Model of Teacher Professional Development in the Next Generation Science Standards.

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