ASTE 2007

Marbach-Ad, G., McGinnis, & J. R., Dantley, S (2007). Beliefs and teaching practices reported by newly graduated elementary and middle school science teachers: Project Nexus (Year 1). A paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Science Teacher Educators, Clearwater, Fl, January 4, 2—7.

Abstract:
Project Nexus, a National Science Foundation funded research project (TPC Program) is designed to develop and test a science teacher professional development model that prepares supports and sustains upper elementary and middle level specialist science teachers. We implemented our model at two universities: a Historically Black College/University [HBCU], and a Predominately White University/College [PWUC]. In year 1 of the 5-year study, the research focus was on collecting and analyzing baseline data of all the previous year’s graduates of the two institution’s undergraduate elementary/middle school teacher preparation programs. We report on the construction of a survey that measures “New Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of Science.” Our analysis of the data indicates that the percentages in the desired direction were higher for the graduates of the PWCU than for the HBCU graduates. Encouragingly, more of the HBCU graduates thought it was very important to be taught in a culturally response manner than did the PWCU graduates. However, the results for both the HBCU and the PWCU in this important area of interest were dissatisfying. Implications for the larger state of science teacher education were discussed.

This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0455752. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

© 2005 University of Maryland