Attitudes, Beliefs, and Content Knowledge:Are today’s teachers prepared to teach science?In partial fulfillment ofPHY590: Master ProjectEdward A. Von IdersteinDepartment of Physics, SUNY Buffalo State College, 1300 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14222 <[email protected]>Acknowledgment: This manuscript was prepared in partial fulfillment of requirements for PHY690: Masters Project at SUNY- Buffalo State Collegeunder the guidance of Dr. Dan MacIsaac.ABSTRACT: This study shows the different challenges thatface today’s science teachers. Both primary and secondaryscience educators must approach the science classroomdifferently than their predecessors. Cultural diversity,advances in technology, and new state and federal legislationare among many new issues that science teachers mustovercome. These factors can affect the attitude of pre-serviceteachers. A pre-post survey of 28 post-baccalaureatestudents who are or will be HS physics teachers during Junethrough August 2003, independent of gender and culturalbackground variables, is evaluated to compare attitude andbeliefs toward teaching math and science, obtaining contentknowledge, and efficacy over an intensive summer physicsand science education course.1INTRODUCTIONAll teachers must teach science. However the method of science education is going to differ between the age levels. Both the primary and secondary educators need to be prepared to teach this subject. The process onemust undergo to be fully qualified will differ depending upon each teacher’s discipline. Obviously, the approach for each level will be different due to the cognitive stage of the students. Unfortunately, recent trends in science educationleave one to wonder if teacher candidates have the proper preparation for teaching science.According to the U.S. Department of Education, the number of qualified math and science teachers has dropped dramatically since 1990. In 2000, 61% of high schools and 48% of middle schools had difficulty filling science teacher positions with qualified applicants (National Science Teachers Association, 2000).There are many reasons for this growing shortage of qualified teachers.Very few college undergraduates are pursuing a career in science education. 20% of science and mathematics undergraduates reflect on a career in education, though only 5% complete teacher candidacy programs (U.S. Department of Education, 2000). Many undergraduates considering a career path in science education drop their science major by their junior year. These students continue on to teaching careers in non-science disciplines (Seymour and Hewitt, 1997). Moreover, college graduates that complete teaching programs in science and math consider teaching for temporary positions (U.S. Department of Education, 2000). Even teachers who stay in the profession may 2contribute to this problem by transferring to other districts, whereby are replacing one vacancy with another (Ingersoll, 2003). Another problem with taking steps to resolve this crisis is not only finding teachers, but qualified and competent teachers. Most undergraduates who are successful in science content assessments choose to pursue fields other than teaching. These students with higher test scores and grade point averages prefer careers in research and technology to education (Shugart and Hounshell, 1995). This trend will always be very difficult to overcome. Furthermore, 32% of math and science teachers do not have degrees in their field (U.S. Department ofEducation, 2000). Most of these teachers have non-science certifications used to fill vacancies in their school districts. This occurrence is particularly common in middle school and low-income public high schools.“The K-12 qualified math and science teacher shortage perpetuates a vicious cycle in that poor K-12 preparation discourages students from pursuing careers in those disciplines, including K-12 teaching” (Moin, Dorfield, and Schunn, 2005; Gafney and Weiner, 1995). This is a disturbing thought. Low achieving students in math and science will have negative attitudes toward these subjects. This negative feeling can lead to lower scores and averages and diminishing scientific understanding (Shugart and Hounshell, 1995). This pessimistic attitude and low level of understanding can lead to continuously declining test scores and scientific understanding.Students are not the only group who suffers from negative feelings toward science. Many teachers, especially those who struggled with science as a 3student, carry poor attitudes toward science themselves and pass these on to their students. These views on science from educators may have come from poor instruction they, themselves, received as students. Thus, reinforcing the vicious cycle we see in science education. For teachers to overcome these negative attitudes, their instructors must turn these ideas into positive learning experiences (McGinnis et al, 2002).RESEARCH QUESTIONSMany of today’s teachers, especially elementary teachers, have the ability and necessary background to be effective science teachers. Many teachers will tell you they teach the way they were taught. In the case of science, how many of these teachers did not receive adequate instruction as a student? In order to deal with these issues, this paper will address the following questions:1. Does increased content knowledge improve attitudes toward science?2. When given instruction specifically designed to improve teachers’ skillsin science education, how do attitudes toward teaching science change?METHODOLOGYIn this study, I examined the pre-post test scores of two graduate level summer immersion classes which ran concurrently in the summer of 2003 at State University of New York, College at Buffalo. These classes were designed 4for the current elementary teacher and teacher candidate to assist them in becoming proficient in teachers of physics. One course, Physics 507 “Teaching Mechanics for K-8 Teachers” is listed as a physics course and gives the students a better understanding of physics and the nature of science. The other course Education 671 “Constructing Science Understanding” focuses on effective teaching methods for science and compares elementary age students understanding of scientific principles. Both courses offer a view of physics which is foreign to many students. They are based on a
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