Empowering Preservice Science Teachers and Science Educators via Phenomenon-based Learning

本项目旨在通过设计、实施和评估基于现象的科学教学对职前科学教师对科学和科学本质的理解的有效性，以服务于国家利益。由于基于现象的学习(PhBL)方法以现实世界中跨学科性质的问题或现象为基础，并以学习者、探究和问题解决为中心，该项目希望通过这种方法关注PhBL的教学方面将使参与者为教授科学做好准备。因此，该项目预计，PhBL经验将提高职前教师在教育学和内容教师资格认证考试中的表现，并最终支持他们未来的科学教学。在向拉美裔学生教授科学和科学本质的最佳实践的几个基本综合集成的基础上，研究小组将设计稳健的基于现象的活动，作为为未来的教师、科学教员和科学教育工作者创建和实施PhBL研讨会的基础。此外，科学教员和科学教育工作者将参加额外的研讨会和网络研讨会，以了解PhBL方法并反思所设计的活动。项目实施的独特地理位置将增加积极促进数百名来自历史上被剥夺公民权的群体的学生和教师的科学和科学知识性质的可能性，并有助于该地区各种不同人才的参与。本项目的目标是加强职前科学教师的科学内容知识和科学知识的性质，提高科学教师、科学教育工作者和理科教师的科学教学知识，并影响职前科学教师在学习计划中的坚持性和他们对教育学和教师认证科学内容考试的掌握。该项目响应了下一代科学标准的号召，即准备材料和培训教师在巩固学生在现象中的学习以学习、应用和建立科学的重要性。通过使用PhBL，该项目满足了培养既拥有科学知识又具有科学知识性质的科学教师的迫切需要，同时也熟练掌握符合标准的研究型教学方法。首先，该项目将为教师开发十项PhBL活动和一份配套的课程指南。编写该指南的目的特别是为了支持那些在这类教材方面缺乏足够经验的科学教师实施PhBL。第二，该项目将举办5个16小时的工作坊，为125名职前教师提供专业发展，以了解PhBL和如何实施该计划。此外，科学教员和科学教育工作者还将参加这一专业发展以及两个额外的讲习班，重点是这一教学战略的教学方面。第三，本项目将采用定性的方法调查专业发展对职前科学教师对科学的理解、科学的本质以及他们设计PhBL教案的能力的影响。该项目旨在促进将PhBL作为一种以研究为基础的积极学习方法，以增加本科生对科学和科学本质的知识，并有助于他们坚持获得学位和完成学业，特别是对那些计划成为科学教师的人。由于实施地区的人口统计情况，研究成果应能在不同的环境中推动科学学习和教学领域的发展。NSF IUSE：EDU计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生的STEM教育的有效性。通过参与式学生学习路径，该计划支持创建、探索和实施有前途的实践和工具。罗伯特·诺伊斯教师奖学金计划为该项目提供了资金。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to serve the national interest by designing, implementing, and evaluating the effectiveness of phenomenon-based science instruction on preservice science teachers’ understanding of science and nature of science. Since the phenomenon-based learning (PhBL) approach grounds learning in real-world issues or phenomena of an interdisciplinary nature and centers on the learners, inquiry, and problem solving, the project hopes that focusing on the pedagogical aspects of PhBL will prepare participants for teaching science via this method. As such, this project anticipates that the PhBL experience will enhance preservice teachers’ performance on pedagogy and content teacher certification exams and ultimately support their future science teaching. Building upon several fundamental meta syntheses on best practices for teaching science and nature of science to Latinx students, the research team will design robust phenomenon-based activities as a base for creating and implementing PhBL workshops for prospective teachers, science faculty members, and science educators. In addition, science faculty members and science educators will participate in additional workshops and a webinar to learn about PhBL approach and reflect on the designed activities. The unique geographical location of the project implementation will increase the likelihood of positively advancing the science and nature of science knowledge of hundreds of students and teachers from historically disenfranchised groups and of contributing to the participation of the full spectrum of diverse talent in the area. This project falls under the IUSE Track 1: Engaged Student Learning, Level 1.This project’s goals center on strengthening preservice science teachers’ science content knowledge and nature of science knowledge, enhancing science teachers’, science educators’, and science faculty’s science pedagogical knowledge, and influencing the persistence of preservice science teachers in their program of study and their mastery of pedagogy and science content exams for teacher certification. The project responds to the call from the Next Generation Science Standards regarding the significance of preparing materials and training teachers in anchoring student learning in phenomena to learn, apply, and build science. By using PhBL, this project embraces the critical need for preparing science teachers who possess both science and nature of science knowledge while also being proficient in research-based instructional methods aligned with standards. First, the project will develop ten PhBL activities and an accompanying lesson guide for instructors. The development of the guide aims especially to support science teachers implementing PhBL who lack sufficient experience with these types of instructional materials. Second, the project will hold five 16-hour workshops for providing professional development for 125 preservice teachers to learn about PhBL and how to implement it. In addition, science faculty members and science educators will also participate in this professional development as well as two additional workshops focused on the pedagogical aspects of this teaching strategy. Third, this project will use qualitative methods to investigate the influence of the professional development on preservice science teachers’ understanding of science and the nature of science as well as their capacity for designing a PhBL lesson plan. The project aims to facilitate the use of PhBL as a research-based active learning pedagogy that increases undergraduate students’ knowledge of science and nature of science and contributes to their persistence in degree attainment and completion, especially for those planning to be science teachers. Due to population demographics in the local area of implementation, research outcomes should advance the field of science learning and teaching in diverse settings. The NSF IUSE: EDU Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools. The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program has contributed funding to this project.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.