Assessing Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Inquiry Science Teaching

Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo MI

Investigators

Abstract

Introduction. Inquiry science teaching refers to teaching methods (pedagogy) that reflect the investigative attitudes and techniques that scientists use to discover and construct new knowledge. Undergraduate students are routinely assessed for their science content knowledge. A complementary component of our national effort to improve science education is the ability to effectively assess teachers' pedagogical knowledge of inquiry science teaching. Currently, such an assessment tool is not available. This project is developing a field-validated, objective assessment tool for testing undergraduate pre-service elementary teachers' pedagogical knowledge of inquiry science teaching (POSIT, the Pedagogy of Science Inquiry Teaching test). The assessment items can be used both in summative evaluation and as a formative tool in undergraduate instruction. Intellectual merit. The U.S. Department of Education has recently called for educational revisions to be informed by research and scientifically based evidence. This project helps to meet that standard. It involves a careful plan for test development followed by two rounds of piloting and revision, concluding with a blinded field-test classroom observation component for studying the validity of POSIT. The intellectual merit of the project lies in its coherent combination of innovative and research-based features in its design -- a design that includes features of authenticity, problem-based learning, epistemology, exemplification, methodology, and summative and formative functions. The project is focused with a clear goal - one that serves a national need as articulated by NSF, the National Research Council and the AAAS. This project is also interdisciplinary. Participating are ten universities, several geographically and demographically diverse public school districts, and a national panel of experts. The final instrument will conform to The Student Evaluation Standards and the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing Broader impact. The "gold standard" for pedagogy assessment is what teachers actually do in the classroom. POSIT is being blind-tested against such a standard. Once it has been developed and validated against the criteria by observation of classroom practice, educators at any undergraduate institution could use it to evaluate and improve science teacher education programs. Improving the preparation and quality of teacher graduates will help ameliorate inequalities in schools that serve underrepresented populations, by increasing the number of teachers well qualified to teach science. POSIT will also be of value to researchers in science education seeking to improve the education and practice of science teachers. Professors teaching undergraduate and graduate SMET courses may find POSIT useful. Previous research indicates that science professors can be motivated to improve their own teaching practice as a consequence of considering how science is best taught to young people. Project Goals 1) Develop criteria for items reflecting the pedagogy of inquiry to guide item development and evaluation. 2) Compose, pilot, and revise a set of problem-based objective items for K-8 science curricula, based on realistic teaching vignettes of elementary science teaching, and meeting inquiry item criteria. 3) Pilot the test items with undergraduate, pre-service teachers reflecting racial and gender diversity. 4) Establish standardized scoring and test administration directions. 5) Establish initial estimates of reliability. 6) Validate the instrument by studying its predictive power with respect to actual teacher practice of inquiry teaching in classrooms. 7) Disseminate assessment items and project reports via the Internet, conference presentations, and journal articles.