Professional Development to Support Teachers' Practices of Engaging Students in Constructing and Critiquing Scientific Explanations in Writing

• In Event: Roundtable Session 9
  In Roundtable Session: Teacher Preparation, Science, and Curriculum-Classroom Intersections

Abstract

In this paper, we describe our professional development efforts to support secondary science teachers in engaging students in written construction and critique of explanations, a central practice of science. We present a case study of how four teachers’ practices of incorporating writing and scientific practices developed over the course of the school year. Our findings suggest that teachers appreciated the epistemic value of students constructing and critiquing explanations and made efforts to engage students in these practices. Analysis of teachers’ efforts suggest that their approaches could be refined, which gives us formative feedback for continued professional development. Our findings suggest developing teaching practices of engaging students in disciplinary writing takes time and sustained practice.

Authors

• Daniel M. Levin, University of Maryland - College Park

• Susan De La Paz, University of Maryland

• Yewon Lee, University of Maryland - College Park