Target Inquiry: Investigating the Teacher and Student Effects of a New Model in Chemistry Teacher Professional Development

这个为期五年的研究项目的中心目标是测试一个特定的模式，教师专业发展与中学化学教师。 目标探究（TI）模式通过将教师研究经验（RET）与课程适应和行动研究相结合，强调探究过程在科学教与学中的重要性。 TI已被翻译成一个现有的M.Ed.计划在密歇根州的大峡谷州立大学的化学重点，通过整合有效的专业发展计划的主要特点，旨在影响教学和学生的化学成果的经验。 一项纵向研究涉及参与者和控制组之间的比较以及参与者随时间变化的措施，将调查对教师和学生的影响的性质。 数据将在项目前、每次核心体验后、项目结束后以及项目后一年和两年收集。 除了教师访谈和课堂文物等定性方法外，还将使用美国化学学会考试和课堂观察措施等定量工具。 主要研究问题有：1.三种核心经验（化学研究、材料改编和行动研究）如何影响在职高中化学教师的（a）化学内容知识;（B）对科学探究和自我效能的态度和信念;（c）课堂教学方法？2.核心经验如何相互建立？3.教师在核心经验之间建立了什么样的联系？4.教师参与技术创新如何影响学生的成绩？5.什么样的影响TI，一个为期三年的，连贯的，以探究为重点的PD计划继续对教师的课堂教学实践和学生的成绩后，计划完成？来自德雷福斯基金会和大峡谷州立大学的资金正在用于支持20名教师实施TI，该奖项正在资助对影响的深入研究。

This five-year research project has as its central aim the testing of a particular model of teacher professional development with secondary school chemistry teachers. The Target Inquiry (TI) model emphasizes the importance of the inquiry process in teaching and learning science by combining a research experience for teachers (RET) with curriculum adaptation and action research. TI has been translated into a chemistry emphasis for an existing M.Ed. program at Grand Valley State University in Michigan by integrating the key features of effective professional development programs with experiences designed to impact instruction and student outcomes in chemistry. A longitudinal study involving comparisons between the participant and control groups as well as measures of participant change over time will investigate the nature of the impacts on teachers and their students. Data will be collected pre-program, after each core experience, end of program, and one and two years post-program. Quantitative instruments such as American Chemical Society examinations and observational measures of classrooms will be used in addition to qualitative methods such as teacher interviews and classroom artifacts. The major research questions are:1. How do the three core experiences (chemistry research, materials adaptation, and action research) impact in-service high school chemistry teachers' (a) content knowledge in chemistry; (b) attitudes and beliefs about scientific inquiry and self-efficacy; and (c) classroom instructional methods?2. How do the core experiences build upon one another?3. What connections do teachers make between the core experiences?4. How does teacher participation in TI affect student achievement?5. What impact does TI, a three-year, coherent, inquiry-focused PD program continue to have on teachers classroom instructional practices and student achievement after program completion?Funding from the Dreyfus Foundation and Grand Valley State University is being used to support the TI implementation with twenty teachers and this award is funding the in-depth research study of the effects.