Teacher Cognitive Resources About Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information as a Scientific Practice

• In Event: Literacy and Language in STEM Teaching

Abstract

Recent calls for reform emphasize Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information (OECI) as an important STEM practice (Achieve, Inc., 2012; NRC, 2013). Science teachers need to become teachers of science communication and domain-specific literacy as a scientific practice. Unfortunately, few teachers have received preservice or inservice training in these areas and most are ill prepared to teach reading and writing (Norris & Phillips, 2003). This study identifies ten categories of secondary science teachers’ existing beliefs, knowledge and goals about literacy and how those cognitive resources interact and develop as a result of using OECI as a scientific practice in the classroom. This research can be used to inform preservice science teacher education, inservice professional development, and design of educative curriculum materials.

Author

• Kirsten K. N. Mawyer, University of Hawaii - Manoa