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

本研究旨在通过设计、实施和评估现象导向的科学教学对中学科学教师理解科学和科学本质的有效性，为国家利益服务。由于基于现象的学习（PhBL）方法将学习建立在现实世界的问题或跨学科现象的基础上，并以学习者、探究和解决问题为中心，该项目希望专注于PhBL的教学方面，为参与者通过这种方法教授科学做好准备。因此，该项目预计PhBL的经验将提高兼职教师在教学法和内容教师认证考试中的表现，并最终支持他们未来的科学教学。基于几个基本的Meta综合的最佳实践教学科学和科学的性质，以拉丁美洲的学生，研究小组将设计强大的基于现象的活动，为未来的教师，科学教师和科学教育工作者创建和实施PhBL研讨会的基础。此外，科学教师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方法并反思设计的活动。该项目实施的独特地理位置将增加积极推进来自历史上被剥夺权利群体的数百名学生和教师的科学和科学知识的性质的可能性，并有助于该地区各种人才的全面参与。该项目福尔斯IUSE轨道1：本研究的目的是加强副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、科学教育者和科学教师的科学教学知识，并影响在职科学教师在其学习计划中的持续性以及他们对教师认证的教育学和科学内容考试的掌握。 该项目响应了下一代科学标准关于准备材料和培训教师在现象中锚定学生学习以学习，应用和建立科学的重要性的呼吁。通过使用PhBL，该项目包括准备科学教师谁拥有科学和科学知识的性质，同时也精通以研究为基础的教学方法与标准相一致的迫切需要。首先，该项目将为教师开发十项PhBL活动和一个附带的课程指南。该指南的开发旨在特别支持科学教师实施PhBL谁缺乏足够的经验，这些类型的教学材料。第二，该项目将为125名副教授举办5个16小时的专业发展讲习班，以了解PhBL及其实施方法。此外，科学教师和科学教育工作者也将参加这一专业发展讲习班，另外还将举办两个侧重于这一教学战略的教学方面的讲习班。第三，本研究将采用质的研究方法，探讨专业发展对中学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PhBL作为一种基于研究的主动学习教学法的使用，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，特别是对于那些计划成为科学教师的人。由于实施的当地人口统计学，研究成果应该在不同的环境中推进科学学习和教学领域。NSF IUSE：EDU计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。通过学生的学习轨道，该计划支持创建，探索和实施有前途的做法和工具。罗伯特·诺伊斯教师奖学金计划为该项目提供了资金。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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.