Professional Development Providers' Epistemological and Nature of Science Beliefs and Their Professional Development Programs

• In Event: Poster Session 2
  In Poster Session: Division K Section 8 Poster Session 2

Abstract

Professional development in science education is focused on providing strategies that promote inquiry learning. Research seems to indicate that whether teachers actually change their practice may depend on the teachers’ basic epistemological beliefs about the nature of science. The person who builds the bridge between teacher beliefs and teacher practice is the designer and facilitator of science teacher PD. Even though facilitators of PD are critical to science teacher change, few have studied how these professionals approach their work. This study used the Views on Science Education Questionnaire (VOSE), interview transcripts, and analysis of documents from teacher PD experiences to examine the relationship between professional development providers’ science beliefs and their design and implementation of PD experiences for science teachers.

Author

• Alfonso Garcia Arriola, Ed.D., Portland Public Schools