Investigating Relationships Between Teachers' Epistemic Orientations and Their Understanding and Implementation of Science Practices

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 34
  In Roundtable Session: The Impact of Professional Development on Science Teacher Cognition and Motivation

Abstract

The Next Generation Science Standards emphasize engaging students in science practices as the means through which science concepts are to be taught. To provide learning opportunities in which science concepts are embedded in science practices, teachers need to develop procedural and epistemological knowledge associated with the practices grounded in desirable epistemological orientations. Given that the NGSS were released recently, little is known about the relationship between teachers’ epistemological orientations and their understanding and implementation of the science practices. This study aimed to fill this gap in the literature. Statistical analyses of the responses to three surveys from 128 science teachers indicate significant correlation of teacher epistemological orientations with their understanding of the epistemic nature and implementation of the science practices.

Authors

• Soonhye Park, North Carolina State University

• Vance J Kite, North Carolina State University

• Lanette Phillips, North Carolina State University

• Jee Kyung Suh, University of Alabama

• Jinhong Jung, North Carolina Central University