Improving Middle School Science Achievement, Literacy and Motivation: A Longitudinal Study of a Teacher Professional Development Program

Autor/inn/en	Ragusa, Gisele; Huang, Shaobo; Levonisova, Svetlana V.
Titel	Improving Middle School Science Achievement, Literacy and Motivation: A Longitudinal Study of a Teacher Professional Development Program
Quelle	In: Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 23 (2022) 4, S.49-62 (14 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1526-2367
Schlagwörter	Middle School Teachers; Faculty Development; Middle School Students; Science Achievement; Science Education; Urban Schools; Summer Programs; Communities of Practice; Student Journals; Scientific Literacy; Inquiry; Teacher Competencies; Teacher Effectiveness; Student Motivation + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Middle school; Middle schools; Teacher; Teachers; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Student; Students; Schüler; Schülerin; Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung; Urban area; Urban areas; School; Schools; Stadtregion; Stadt; Schule; Sommerkurs; Community; Studentenzeitung; Lehrkunst; Effectiveness of teaching; Instructional effectiveness; Lehrerleistung; Unterrichtserfolg; Schulische Motivation
Abstract	This research presents results of a longitudinal study of a three-year in-service teacher professional development program that was focused on improving grades sixth through eighth students' science achievement, science literacy and increasing science interest in five urban middle schools. The key program elements included: (1) a summer teacher academy, (2) academic year use of lesson study, (3) instruction using integrated science, (4) science notebooks use, (5) instruction on science literacy and effective use of informational texts, and (6) inquiry-based instruction. The study was part of a larger research effort that investigated the effects of a comprehensive middle school science and mathematics teacher professional development intervention on students' science and math achievement. The purpose of the research for this particular work is to examine the impact of teacher professional development on teachers' science instructional performance and science teaching efficacy, and in turn, its impact on their students' science achievement as well as their literacy in and motivation for science. The research utilized a cross-school comparison methodological approach, which examined middle school students' achievement trajectories and employed a quasi-control condition in the program's first year of implementation, and in remaining years -- with multiple "doses" of an inservice teacher professional development intervention. Comparative and multi-level hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used for data analyses with multiple iterations of model fitting. Results of the research indicated that the professional development had multiple positive effects on the participating teachers and their students. School-wide teachers' science teaching efficacy increased for all participating teachers. The Academic Performance Indices (APIs) demonstrated growth for each of the five participating middle schools, and students' motivation for science and their science literacy had a positive effect on their science achievement. Furthermore, the participating students' achievement increased overall, with greater increases resulting from increased exposure to the teacher intervention (via proxy of the students' teachers). This teacher focused intervention is recommended for middle to large size middle schools and districts as it had moderate to highly positive effects on the teachers and students in the participating school district. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Institute for STEM Education and Research. P.O. Box 4001, Auburn, AL 36831. Tel: 334-844-3360; Web site: https://www.jstem.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01