This article is a qualitative study that explored bilingual/ESL science teachers' reflections about subject matter knowledge (SMK) and instructional practice in the elementary grades. Thirty-three teachers were part of a 5-year professional development program designed to enhance instructional quality and effectiveness to teach English learners.…

This study reports teachers' learning through action research on students' conceptual understanding. The study examined (a) the teachers' views about science teaching and learning, (b) the teachers' learning about their teaching practices and (c) the conditions that supported the teachers' learning through action research. A total of 14 elementary…

This study assessed the influence of guided inquiry and explicit reflective instruction on K-6 teachers' views of nature of science (NOS). Using the Views of Nature of Science Elementary School Version 2 (VNOS-D2), and associated interviews we tracked the changes in NOS views of teacher participants prior to and following a summer professional…

The authors describe an innovative perspective for the evaluation of professional development programming in science. This perspective focused on a self-critical analysis of the reflective practices developed and used among program participants. This approach ties program quality directly to issues impacting the implementation of curriculum reform…

Describes the accounts of four Grade 1 teachers as they take action to improve their science teaching skills. Provides information on teacher background, early teaching strategies, confronting ideas about teaching science, and the steps taken to reform practice. (DDR)

Describes a study on the extent to which different children hold animistic notions and the meaning of those notions. Explores the idea of preservice science teachers as researchers. (DDR)

Explains a professional development model that is informed both by constructivist and sociocultural theory. Focuses on professional development, personal development, and social development. Contains 26 references. (DDR)

Describes the various tools used to promote reflection that have been introduced to prospective teachers. Those tools include portfolios, journals, cases, learning maps, stories retold, metaphors, and proverbs. Contains 58 references. (DDR)

Describes the professional development framework utilized in the Integrating Laboratory Instruction and Assessment (INLAB) project directed at changing teacher practice. The framework is based upon the establishment of an intellectual community of learners. (DDR)

Compares the way preservice elementary teachers build knowledge and beliefs to the way learners build science knowledge. Describes a reconceptualization of an elementary science methods course consistent with this assumption about science teaching. Contains 22 references. (DDR)