CAREER: Developing Elementary Preservice Teachers' Understandings and Abilities to Support Emerging Bilingual Students Scientific Sensemaking

本项目将研究如何改善以科学实践为基础的课堂教学，以解决新兴双语学生在科学教育中的不平等问题。目前，许多小学教师不熟悉科学实践，也没有准备好教新兴的双语学生，因为他们从未接受过这两方面的培训。该项目将解决培训不足的问题，并为教师教育工作者创造基于研究的资源，重点是培养职前小学教师的理解和能力，以支持新兴的双语学生参与科学实践。本研究将以以下目标为指导，研究：(1)模范小学教师对科学、语言和新兴双语学生的理解，以及这些理解与他们支持学生意义建构的教学实践之间的关系；(2)职前教师对支持新兴双语学生语义建构的理解与实践；(3)开发基础科学方法课程和教育资源，以支持教师学习语言在科学实践中的作用，以及支持新兴双语学生的语义构建方法；(4)本课程及其教师教育资源对职前教师理解和教学实践的影响。由于之前很少有研究关注科学和语言学习的交集，这个项目将推进这方面的知识。通过混合方法设计，本项目将调查教师理解、教师实践和教师学习的相关方面，以支持新兴双语学生的科学意义。该项目的第一阶段包括考察模范小学教师在不同类型的学校环境中与新兴双语学生一起工作的科学实践的教学方法。这种策略将超越传统的学科知识和技能，包括教师鼓励学生使用语言和非语言模式来交流思想；加深对自然科学现象的理解；参与和重视学生的家庭、社区和生活经历。这些共同的努力将捕捉并说明参与科学实践的可能实例，同时注意并响应新兴双语学生的语言资产、需求和英语发展。第一阶段的研究结果将用于该项目的第二阶段，该阶段的重点是迭代设计和分析科学方法课程和资源，以促进职前教师在科学和语言学习方面的教学发展。职业生涯计划是美国国家科学基金会（NSF）的一项全国性活动，旨在为那些通过杰出的研究、优秀的教育以及在其组织使命的背景下将教育和研究结合起来，体现教师学者角色的初级教师提供奖励。本项目由美国国家科学基金会发现研究PreK-12 （DRK-12）项目资助。DRK-12旨在通过研究和开发创新资源、模型和工具，显著提高pre -12学生和教师对科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）的学习和教学。DRK-12计划中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究和先前的研究和开发工作的基础上，为拟议的项目提供了理论和实证依据。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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 will study ways to improve classroom instruction grounded in science practices to address inequities in science education for emerging bilingual students. Currently, many elementary school teachers are unfamiliar with science practices and are unprepared to teach emerging bilingual students since they never received training in either area. This project will address this lack of training and create research-based resources for teacher educators that focus on developing preservice elementary teachers’ understanding and abilities to support emerging bilingual students’ engagement in science practices. The study will be guided by the following objectives, which are to research: (1) the understandings of exemplary elementary teachers around science, language, and emerging bilingual students, and the relationship between these understandings and their instructional practices for supporting student sensemaking; (2) preservice teachers’ understandings and practices related to supporting emerging bilingual students’ sensemaking; (3) the development of an elementary science methods course, and educator resources, that support teacher learning about the role of language in science practices and approaches for supporting emerging bilingual students’ sensemaking; and (4) the impact of this course, and its teacher educator resources, on preservice teachers’ understandings and instructional practices. With little prior research having looked at the intersection of science and language learning, this project will advance knowledge in this regard.Through a mixed-methods design, this project will investigate interrelated aspects of teacher understandings, teacher practice, and teacher learning around supporting emerging bilingual students’ scientific sensemaking. Phase 1 of the project includes examining the instructional approaches around science practices of exemplary elementary school teachers that work in different types of school contexts with emerging bilingual students. Such strategies will go beyond traditional subject-matter knowledge and skills to include teacher encouragement of students using linguistic and nonlinguistic modes for communicating ideas; development of a deeper understanding of natural scientific phenomena; and engagement with and valuing of students’ families, communities, and lived experiences. These combined efforts will capture and illustrate compelling examples of possible instantiations of engagement in science practices while being mindful of and responsive to emerging bilingual students’ language assets, needs, and English development. Findings from Phase 1 will be used for Phase 2 of this project, which focuses on iteratively designing and analyzing a science methods course and resources for preservice teachers’ pedagogical development across science and language learning.The CAREER program is a National Science Foundation (NSF)-wide activity that offers awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education, and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations. This project is supported by NSF's Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12) program. DRK-12 seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools. Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects.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.