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Preservice Teachers’ Meaningful Science Learning
A Collaborative Project Between a College of Education and an Elementary School
Journal of College Science Teaching—January/February 2023 (Volume 52, Issue 3)
By Lizzette M. Velázquez Rivera and Isaris R. Quiñones Pérez
This article describes how preservice elementary teachers learn about the nature of science and develop scientific literacy through a collaborative project that prepares them to design meaningful learning experiences for students. The Life’s Replica Project was an effort between a college professor and an elementary school teacher to facilitate meaningful science learning. The preservice teachers were students from two college courses in a teacher preparation program. The project’s strategy focused on learning through problematization and inquiry-based activities that engaged participants in diverse and collaborative learner-centered experiences. Students were presented with the problem of human beings’ impact on Earth’s ecosystems, and they were challenged to collaborate through community service by creating and presenting a product that addressed the needs they identified. Some of the project’s assessments were the answers gathered in the KWH table (know, want to know, and how will we learn it), from group reflections on the learning experiences with the core activities of the project, and through the creation of educational materials. The project’s assessment outcomes demonstrated its contribution to the development of meaningful science learning for preservice elementary teachers.
This article describes how preservice elementary teachers learn about the nature of science and develop scientific literacy through a collaborative project that prepares them to design meaningful learning experiences for students. The Life’s Replica Project was an effort between a college professor and an elementary school teacher to facilitate meaningful science learning. The preservice teachers were students from two college courses in a teacher preparation program.
This article describes how preservice elementary teachers learn about the nature of science and develop scientific literacy through a collaborative project that prepares them to design meaningful learning experiences for students. The Life’s Replica Project was an effort between a college professor and an elementary school teacher to facilitate meaningful science learning. The preservice teachers were students from two college courses in a teacher preparation program.
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Using a Game to Teach Invasive Species Spread and Management
Invasive species are a major ecological and economic problem at the global scale, and education plays a major role in raising awareness and combating these species’ future spread. There are complex management and economic issues associated with preventing the spread of invasive species, and these are challenging to teach in a way that students can understand and apply. Several educators have developed games to help students identify invaders and understand their impacts, but no published examples build a game around their global spread and economic impact. I describe a game in which groups allocate resources to protect their island nation from invasive species through prevention and mitigation strategies. In this game, invasive species are introduced to each island; if their establishment is not prevented, they have a negative economic impact and spread to other islands. Groups compete to try to lose the least amount of money, and the class tries to minimize the overall amount of money lost. By playing multiple times and allowing students to discuss strategies and see those strategies play out, students gain an in-depth understanding of the complexities of invasive species management and economics.
Invasive species are a major ecological and economic problem at the global scale, and education plays a major role in raising awareness and combating these species’ future spread. There are complex management and economic issues associated with preventing the spread of invasive species, and these are challenging to teach in a way that students can understand and apply. Several educators have developed games to help students identify invaders and understand their impacts, but no published examples build a game around their global spread and economic impact.
Invasive species are a major ecological and economic problem at the global scale, and education plays a major role in raising awareness and combating these species’ future spread. There are complex management and economic issues associated with preventing the spread of invasive species, and these are challenging to teach in a way that students can understand and apply. Several educators have developed games to help students identify invaders and understand their impacts, but no published examples build a game around their global spread and economic impact.
Remote Learning
Teaching Assistant Responses to COVID-19
Investigating Relationships Between Stress, Self-Efficacy, and Approaches to Teaching
Journal of College Science Teaching—January/February 2023 (Volume 52, Issue 3)
By Cody Smith, Deepika Menon, Annette Wierzbicki, and Jenny Dauer
Undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants (TAs) are tasked with instructing undergraduate courses with little to no professional development (PD). To better develop PD opportunities, it is important to understand the benefits of improving TAs’ self-efficacy and the stressors associated with their roles. This study investigated how stress related to the COVID-19 disruption of the spring 2020 semester affected TAs’ self-efficacy. Pre-, mid-, and postsemester surveys of self-efficacy and perceived stress were analyzed along with a structured postsemester interview addressing TAs’ stress related to the disruption. Although no relationships were found between self-efficacy and stress, qualitative results indicated that stressors related to changes in and uncertainty around their responsibilities influenced TAs’ confidence in their teaching. The results of this study are discussed in relation to PD programs providing experiences with multiple teaching modalities, strategies for time management, and mental health resources.
Undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants (TAs) are tasked with instructing undergraduate courses with little to no professional development (PD). To better develop PD opportunities, it is important to understand the benefits of improving TAs’ self-efficacy and the stressors associated with their roles. This study investigated how stress related to the COVID-19 disruption of the spring 2020 semester affected TAs’ self-efficacy.
Undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants (TAs) are tasked with instructing undergraduate courses with little to no professional development (PD). To better develop PD opportunities, it is important to understand the benefits of improving TAs’ self-efficacy and the stressors associated with their roles. This study investigated how stress related to the COVID-19 disruption of the spring 2020 semester affected TAs’ self-efficacy.
Case Study
The Role of Question-Asking in Mentoring Undergraduate Research
Journal of College Science Teaching—January/February 2023 (Volume 52, Issue 3)
By Sara L. Johnson and George M. Bodner
Undergraduate research is a high-impact educational practice for which effective mentoring has been identified as a key factor in determining its success. Some researchers have argued that effective mentors help increase students’ independence and ownership of the research project. This case study used conversation analysis to examine recorded interactions between an early-career postdoctoral mentor and a first-year undergraduate research student within the context of “mentoring by questioning” in a biochemistry research group. The study was based on three guiding research questions: What norms of discourse frame conversations about independence and ownership of research? How are the norms of discourse established? What impact do these conversations have on the undergraduate research experience? Analysis of the data collected in this study suggested three ways in which the mentor used the discursive tool of question-asking to guide conversations with the undergraduate research student: encouraging scientific observations, shifting responsibility, and encouraging critical thinking.
Undergraduate research is a high-impact educational practice for which effective mentoring has been identified as a key factor in determining its success. Some researchers have argued that effective mentors help increase students’ independence and ownership of the research project. This case study used conversation analysis to examine recorded interactions between an early-career postdoctoral mentor and a first-year undergraduate research student within the context of “mentoring by questioning” in a biochemistry research group.
Undergraduate research is a high-impact educational practice for which effective mentoring has been identified as a key factor in determining its success. Some researchers have argued that effective mentors help increase students’ independence and ownership of the research project. This case study used conversation analysis to examine recorded interactions between an early-career postdoctoral mentor and a first-year undergraduate research student within the context of “mentoring by questioning” in a biochemistry research group.
January/February 2023
Volume 52, Number 3
This issue of JCST offers a study that investigated how stress related to the COVID-19 disruption of the spring 2020 semester affected TAs’ self-efficacy.
January/February 2023
Volume 52, Number 3
This issue of JCST offers a study that investigated how stress related to the COVID-19 disruption of the spring 2020 semester affected TAs’ self-efficacy.
January/February 2023
Volume 52, Number 3
This issue of JCST offers a study that investigated how stress related to the COVID-19 disruption of the spring 2020 semester affected TAs’ self-efficacy.
COPA Syndrome
Adventures in Intracellular Transport
By Madison Hossack, Kenneth W. Yip
special issue
Ancient Antimicrobials
An Inquiry-Based Look at the Social Context Behind Microbes
The Science Teacher—January/February 2023 (Volume 90, Issue 3)
By Akacia Halliday-Isaac and Brooke A. Whitworth
special issue
It’s Worth a Shot
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information on Viruses and Vaccines
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Is That Plausible?
How to Evaluate Scientific Evidence and Claims in a Post-Truth World
The Science Teacher—January/February 2023 (Volume 90, Issue 3)
By Imogen R. Herrick, Gale M. Sinatra, and Doug Lombardi
special issue
An Evolution in Teaching Natural Selection
Modeling Antibiotic Resistance