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Teacher Education and Professional Development

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Edith Cowan University

Science education

Articles 1 - 7 of 7

Full-Text Articles in Education

Differences In Perception Between Students And Teachers Of High School Science: Implications For Evaluations Of Teaching And Classroom Evaluation., Michael T. Fitzgerald, Lena Danaia, David H. Mckinnon, Sophie Bartlett Jan 2020

Differences In Perception Between Students And Teachers Of High School Science: Implications For Evaluations Of Teaching And Classroom Evaluation., Michael T. Fitzgerald, Lena Danaia, David H. Mckinnon, Sophie Bartlett

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The science teacher in the modern high school acts as the designer and driver of the in-class practice. In this role, the teacher must broadly assess the effect of the practice on the student. This would rely on accurate self-knowledge of how they act in class and impact their students. In this study we explore these issues by comparing the difference in responses of 86 teachers and 2512 Year 9 and 10 students to an instrument probing their perceptions of their in-class practice. We report two significant findings. First, not only do teachers constantly positively overrate their in-class practice but …


The Changing Roles Of Science Specialists During A Capacity Building Program For Primary School Science, Sandra Herbert, Lihua Xu, Leissa Kelly Jan 2017

The Changing Roles Of Science Specialists During A Capacity Building Program For Primary School Science, Sandra Herbert, Lihua Xu, Leissa Kelly

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Science education starts at primary school. Yet, recent research shows primary school teachers lack confidence and competence in teaching science (Prinsley & Johnston, 2015). A Victorian state government science specialist initiative responded to this concern by providing professional learning programs to schools across Victoria. Drawing on cultural historical activity theory (CHAT), this paper reports the analysis of transcripts of interviews with 17 science specialists from eleven schools. It presents the various perceived and enacted science specialist roles, and how they changed over time. The CHAT analysis of the transcripts revealed seven different stages describing trajectories of the science specialism. The …


Perceptions And Competence Of Turkish Pre-Service Science Teachers With Regard To Entrepreneurship, Isa Deveci Jan 2016

Perceptions And Competence Of Turkish Pre-Service Science Teachers With Regard To Entrepreneurship, Isa Deveci

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The aim of this study is both to determine the perceptions of pre-service science teachers towards the concepts of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial characteristics and to investigate the perceptions of pre-service science teachers regarding transferring the entrepreneurial characteristics to students. This study is designed as a qualitative study and a phenomenological research approach is used. A total of 12 pre-service science teachers from grades 5 to 8 participated in the study. Data were gathered through the use of semi-structured interviews. The data were evaluated through both descriptive and content analysis. The results show that the perceptions of the 12 …


Promoting Online Students’ Engagement And Learning In Science And Sustainability Preservice Teacher Education, Louisa Tomas, Michelle Lasen, Ellen Field, Keith Skamp Jan 2015

Promoting Online Students’ Engagement And Learning In Science And Sustainability Preservice Teacher Education, Louisa Tomas, Michelle Lasen, Ellen Field, Keith Skamp

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

At James Cook University, a core first-year subject within the Bachelor of Education, Foundations of Sustainability in Education (FSE), sees students investigate the underlying science and complexity of socioecological challenges through inquiry, place-based learning, experimentation and consideration of classroom practice. Given that this subject is delivered across modes, a blended learning approach that encompasses an innovative use of learning technologies and careful consideration of pedagogy provides opportunity for both on-campus and online students to engage in active, learner-centred, collaborative, experiential and praxis-oriented learning experiences (Wals & Jickling, 2002). In this paper, we draw upon Pittaway’s (2012) engagement framework and Herrington, …


Educative Curricula And Improving The Science Pck Of Teachers In Middle School Settings In Rural And Remote Australia, Arthur Townsend Jan 2015

Educative Curricula And Improving The Science Pck Of Teachers In Middle School Settings In Rural And Remote Australia, Arthur Townsend

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Science is one of seven-mandated Key Learning Areas (KLAs) Foundation to Year 10 of the new Australian National Curriculum (ACARA, 2012). Not only, therefore, is science to be offered in every school as part of the curriculum, there is also the expectation that science is to be taught well to all students regardless of location, gender, cultural background or socio-economic status (ACARA, 2012). Studying science provides benefits to individuals by developing their scientific literacy skills (Goodrum, Hackling & Rennie, 2001; Hackling & Prain, 2008). Its study also benefits the national economy by equipping students with the innovative, inventive, and creative …


Working With Science Teachers To Transform The Opportunity Landscape For Regional And Rural Youth: A Qualitative Evaluation Of The Science In Schools Program, Grania R. Sheehan, Jennifer Mosse Jan 2013

Working With Science Teachers To Transform The Opportunity Landscape For Regional And Rural Youth: A Qualitative Evaluation Of The Science In Schools Program, Grania R. Sheehan, Jennifer Mosse

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This article reports on a qualitative evaluation of the Science in Schools program; a suite of science based activities delivered by staff of a regional university campus and designed to provide professional development for science teachers working in non-metropolitan schools in a socioeconomically disadvantaged region of Australia. The research identified a range of issues including: the influence of socioeconomic disadvantage and rurality on teachers’ professional learning needs, and the importance of subject specific discourse communities and content knowledge for new and out-of-field teachers. Implications for the design and implementation of school-university partnerships are discussed.


Implentation Of A School-Based Science Programme : A Case Study, Adrianne Kinnear Jan 1981

Implentation Of A School-Based Science Programme : A Case Study, Adrianne Kinnear

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper tells the story of the first two years of a science programme which was planned and implemented by the staff of a local primary school. The programme formed the core of a submission for government funding as a school-based innovation. The study describes the degree to which the submission's aims were achieved and attempts to analyse the factors contributing to the project's outcomes.