How New Science Teachers Learn: A Literature Review

• In Event: Examining Practice-Based Science Teacher Education

Abstract

What kind of experiences does a preservice teacher need to create a rigorous and equitable classroom driven by student ideas and sense-making? In this paper, we share results from a review of the literature on key principles of learning for preservice science teachers in relationship to a practice-based approach to teacher education. In particular, we explore how practice-based teacher education can support teacher educators in working with four widely documented problems of learning teaching: the apprenticeship of observation; the problem of enactment; the problem of complexity; and the problem of inequity (Author et al, 2005; ; Feiman-Nemser & Buchmann, 1985; Kennedy, 1999; Paris & Alim, 2014).
Framing
Drawing upon our review of the literature on preservice and experienced teacher learning, we advance a conceptual framework for new teacher learning grounded in socio-cultural theory (Lave & Wenger, 1991). Our framework reflects an asset based view of pre-service teachers and grounds teacher learning in community, activity and inquiry (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 2009). This socio-cultural lens draws attention to the ways that preservice teachers’ learning develops through participation in a culture and community (just as pupils learn), requires seeing the prior knowledge and experiences of preservice teachers as assets to be built upon, moving beyond the apprenticeship of observation, learning practices, skills, and developing vision and professional identities to address the complexity of teaching (Lampert, 2010; Forzani, 2014). This lens makes salient not only the central role of tools, practices, resources and other learners in supporting preservice teacher development (Grossman, 2011) but also underscores that struggling to understand teaching requires deep engagement with one’s own identity. Specifically, it highlights the role of committing to learn about and emphasizing the identities and cultures of students, and developing knowledge of and with the community and schools (Carter Andrews, 2009). Drawing on this literature, we argue that explicitly recognizing this identity work is a critical part of new teacher learning and essential in supporting a transition to equitable teaching practices.
Finally, we examine our teacher education practices in relationship to this framework. The teacher educators in this session have actively sought out teacher education practices that are theoretically grounded, developmentally coherent and can guide our work together; which include introducing practices, sheltered planning and practice in the form of rehearsals, analysis and moving forward, and enacting practice in the field (Authors et al., 2020; Grossman, et al. 2009; Lampert et al., 2013; Philip, 2019; Sawyer, 2004).
Significance
We explore how these pedagogies help to slow down and unpack acts of teaching, help surface complex decisions, and enable thoughtful next steps. We specifically focus upon the ways in which learning these practices can help teachers interrogate their own identities; and to hone in on how conceptions of race, culture, socio-economic status, gender and physical ability shape both their science instruction and their expectations of students; while also providing teachers with a strong beginning repertoire of practices that can help them enact equitable teaching (as opposed to perpetuating the social inequities).

Author

• Karen M. Hammerness, American Museum of Natural History