Investigating the Impact of Science Teacher Professional Development

Science Teacher Professional Development This book details the challenges of science teaching, as well as challenges of professional developers as they engage teachers in professional development framed by reform outlined in standards documents. A concise articulation of problems faced by teachers and professional developers is outlined before being contextualized in science education literature. This is followed by an investigation into the effectiveness of professional development for science teachers, specifically focusing on 1) science teachers views on teaching and learning, 2) science teachers classroom practice, and 3) the impact of science teacher classroom practice on student actions in science classrooms. The implications of this research for science teacher professional developers are then shared before a vision is outlined for research needed to inform future science teacher professional development supportive of reformed teaching outlined in national standards documents.