Exploring the Interaction of Personal and Contextual Factors during the Induction Period of Science Teachers and How This Interaction Shapes Their Enactment of Science Reform
The first years of teaching are demanding as the novice works to gain a degree of familiarity in her/his professional work. It is during this period that many teachers decide to leave the teaching profession or move away from the reform-minded beliefs and practices acquired during their teacher prep...
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| Format: | Others |
| Language: | English English |
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Florida State University
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| Online Access: | http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-2107 |
| Summary: | The first years of teaching are demanding as the novice works to gain a degree of familiarity in her/his professional work. It is during this period that many teachers decide to leave the teaching profession or move away from the reform-minded beliefs and practices acquired during their teacher preparation programs. To understand what happens during induction requires a focus on both the cognitive and contextual issues related to science teaching. The goal of this qualitative, multi-case study was to describe the induction experiences of two reform-minded first year science teachers and the strategies they used to negotiate contradictions embedded the context of schooling. Using the frame of Cultural Historical Activity Theory, in this research I focused on changes in science teachers' personal and professional identities, self-efficacy and pedagogical discontentment, the manner in which these factors shaped science teaching practices, and beliefs and practices shaped and were shaped by the context of the novices' work. Data included a year of participant observations, surveys, open-ended questionnaires, interviews, classroom observations, and mediating artifacts such as lesson plans and assignments. Identities and dispositions of these teachers played significant role their attempts to become competent members of their school communities, attempts that influenced and were influenced by their teaching self-efficacy and pedagogical discontentment. Mild contradictions in the system allowed for the refinement of reform-minded science teaching practices, while extreme contradictions in the system served to change one teacher's goals and prevented his successful enactment of science education reform. Findings indicated that the successful enactment of reform-minded practice depends not just on contextual factors related to schools, or just on individual factors associated with science teaching. Instead, personal and contextual factors interact to shape a novice's first year experience. This research also demonstrated that participation in a professional community that both acknowledges the strengths novices bring into the community and recognizes the support novices need is essential if novices are to become successful members of a community of practice. One implication of this research is the need to move beyond a singular focus on science teaching and learning in teacher education programs to include an exploration of the affective and professional aspects of teaching. Because this research points to the important role professional development communities play in the development of reform minded science teachers, a second implication of this research is that teacher preparation programs should include a close examination of the role and importance of communities in a teacher's initial success and long term development. Clearly disbanding the professional community constructed throughout a preservice experience upon graduation is artificial and counterproductive. Instead, induction programs that include some members of the preservice science teacher's community may be invaluable for providing support, recognition, and critical lens needed for novices to examine their work as they move into schools as professionals engaged in practice of reform-based science teaching. === A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Middle and Secondary Education in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of
Philosophy. === Fall Semester, 2007. === June 4, 2007. === Teacher Induction, Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), Teacher Identity And Emotions, Teacher Development, Pedagogical Discontentment, Self-Efficacy, Science Education Reform === Includes bibliographical references. === Sherry A. Southerland, Professor Directing Dissertation; Jeffrey Chanton, Outside Committee Member; Penny J. Gilmer, Committee Member; Sharilyn Steadman, Committee Member; Jeffrey Brooks, Committee Member. |
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