Designing and Teaching the Secondary Science Methods Course: An International Perspective

255 Pages·2017·12.468 MB·English

by  Aaron J. Sickel, Stephen B. Witzig (eds.)

Designing and Teaching the Secondary Science
Methods Course

Designing and Teaching the Secondary Science
Methods Course
An International Perspective
Edited by
Aaron J. Sickel
Western Sydney University, Australia
and
Stephen B. Witzig
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, USA
A C.I.P. record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
ISBN: 978-94-6300-879-2 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-94-6300-880-8 (hardback)
ISBN: 978-94-6300-881-5 (e-book)
Published by: Sense Publishers,
P.O. Box 21858,
3001 AW Rotterdam,
The Netherlands
https://www.sensepublishers.com/
All chapters in this book have undergone peer review.
Printed on acid-free paper
All Rights Reserved © 2017 Sense Publishers
No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming,
recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the
exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and
executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work.
To my wife, Jamison Lorraine, who encouraged and supported me
every step of the way. You have been, and will always be the most
important person in my life.
– A. J. Sickel
For my wife, Mandy, and our two daughters, Teagan and Annie, whose
support and love mean everything to me. This book, and all that I do,
is for our family.
– S. B. Witzig

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Setting the Landscape: Focusing on the Methods Course in Secondary
Science Teacher Education 1
Stephen B. Witzig and Aaron J. Sickel
Part I: Interdisciplinary Science Methods Courses
2. The 5E Model as a Framework for Facilitating Multiple Teacher
Education Outcomes: A Secondary Science Methods Course in Australia 11
Aaron J. Sickel
3. Interdisciplinary Secondary Science Methods: A United States –
Massachusetts Context 33
Stephen B. Witzig
4. Developing Science Education Research Literacy among Secondary
in-Service Teachers: An Approach at Bar-Ilan University in Israel 53
Shirly Avargil, Ornit Spektor-Levy and Michal Zion
5. STEAM Methods: A Case from Egypt 71
Heba El-Deghaidy
Part II: Discipline-Specific Science Methods Courses
6. Developing a Repertoire for Teaching Biology 91
Fred Janssen and Jan van Driel
7. Educating Biology Teachers from a Socio-Cultural Perspective:
Experiences in a Public University in Brazil 109
Danusa Munford, Marina de Lima Tavares, Francisco Ângelo Coutinho
and Maria Luiza Neves
8. Chemistry Teaching Method Course for Secondary Science Teacher
Training: An Example from Turkey 129
Sevgi Aydın-Günbatar and Betül Demirdöğen
9. Implementing PCK Topic by Topic in Methodology Courses: A Case
Study in South Africa 149
Elizabeth Mavhunga and Marissa Rollnick
10. Educating New Secondary School Physics Teachers: The University
of Exeter Approach 171
Keith Postlethwaite and Nigel Skinner
vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
11. Methods for Physics Teachers: A Case in South Korea 189
Nam-Hwa Kang
12. Teaching Methods for Earth Science 207
Ann E. Rivet
Part III: Synthesis across Contexts
13. Science Methods Courses across Contexts: Implications for Research
and Practice 225
Aaron J. Sickel and Stephen B. Witzig
Author Biographies 251
viii
STEPHEN B. WITZIG AND AARON J. SICKEL
1. SETTING THE LANDSCAPE
Focusing on the Methods Course in Secondary
Science Teacher Education
INTRODUCTION
A multitude of countries are interested in improving K-12 science education for
the purposes of producing a scientifically literate citizenry and increasing student
interest in science-oriented careers. To improve science learning in schools, we must
also develop high quality science teacher preparation programs. Although there are
numerous outlets for K-12 science teachers to provide insights into their practice
(e.g. science education practitioner journals), there are few such outlets for science
teacher educators. The purpose of the book is to synthesise detailed descriptions
of secondary science methods courses from science teacher educators in different
countries across the various continents of the world. We define a ‘secondary science
methods course’ as specific university class designed to prepare pre-service or in-
service teachers to teach science in secondary school contexts (ranging between
grade 5 and grade 12, depending on the context). The chapters are written by
different science teacher educators who teach in a particular country and have
purposeful approaches to teaching their course. Individual chapters will describe
how the science methods course is situated in the larger teacher preparation program
and/or state/national context, followed with details on signature course activities
and assessment designs, and how they align with research-supported practices in
teacher education. This compilation will provide concrete examples of how science
teacher preparation is viewed both similarly and differently across contexts, and
allow teacher educators an opportunity to learn from one another about course
design. In the final chapter written by the editors, an analysis of the different courses
concludes with an articulation of research questions that need to be pursued for
improving science teacher preparation from a global perspective.
RATIONALE
In their review of research on science teacher education, Anderson and Mitchener
(1994) discussed the three major parts of the ‘professional education’ component
of teacher education programs: educational foundations, methods courses, and
field experiences. They discuss how the structure of the ‘professional education’
A. J. Sickel & S. B. Witzig (Eds.), Designing and Teaching the Secondary Science
Methods Course, 1–8.
© 2017 Sense Publishers. All rights reserved.