Preservice Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge Outcomes Associated with a K-12 Dinosaur Learning Progression
Abstract
Curriculum developments guiding science in schools have evolved from
textbook-based teaching to integrated content approaches focusing on the nature of
science. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) reflect a reformed and
authentic science pedagogy in the most innovative manner for any curriculum guide to
date. Learning progressions (LPs) are a current innovation changing science education
that support NGSS goals. LPs provide a guide for aligning mastery of science concepts
over time and integrate topics between different concentrations of science.
The preparation of science teachers has relied heavily upon traditional science
courses at the collegiate level. Conventionally, preservice teachers develop pedagogical
practices through education coursework and field placements in K-12 schools. To fully
ensure the development of scientific literate teachers, preservice science teacher
education needs to focus on pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Preservice teachers
need to be able to teach beyond the explicitly stated examples provided in curriculum
frameworks and meet the interests of their future students.
In this three-article dissertation, I explored the development and use of a LP in
preservice teacher education. In the first article, I outlined a new methodology for
creating valid LPs by utilizing expert interviews and documents for triangulation. The
LP I built used dinosaurs, the number one science interest of students entering school, as
the thematic vehicle for delivery of Earth and life science concepts. In the second and
third articles, I targeted the developed dinosaur LP as an intervention for meeting the
needs of enhancing preservice teacher PCK. In the second article, I used concepts maps
to measure the conceptual knowledge gains of preservice teachers. The third article
reported results of preservice teachers’ pedagogy transformations in the form of 5E
lesson plans.
Results suggested LPs can increase preservice teacher PCK in targeted conceptual
areas and pedagogy, as reflected in concept maps and lesson plans. Significant
differences existed between individual and group-developed concept maps, indicating
distributed cognition may increase PCK development. Examination of pre- and postintervention
lesson plans revealed significant gains in pedagogical methods for the
overall construction and subcomponents of lesson plans. These results supported the use
of LPs as interventions impacting preservice teacher PCK.
Subject
Learning ProgressionTeacher Education
Science Education
Pedagogical Content Knowledge
Dinosaurs
Citation
Lyons, Luke Christian (2018). Preservice Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge Outcomes Associated with a K-12 Dinosaur Learning Progression. Doctoral dissertation, Texas A & M University. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /173340.