Research Proposal Summary

271/504 THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

Application for Admission to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Programme in the Faculty of Education Research Proposal Summary

Applicant’s name: Lo Man Sum Proposed Topic/Title of Research: The development and characteristics of PCK related to teaching of NOS

Background Promoting the understanding of ideas about science (defined by Millar & Osborne (1998)), including understanding of the nature of science (NOS), scientific inquiry (SI) and the interconnections between science, technology, society and environment (STSE), has become a crucial curriculum objective worldwide. The notion of promoting Nature of science (NOS) has been advocated dated back to the eighteenth century and the concept of NOS had been stated in science curriculum as early as 1845 (Jenkins, 1996). More recently, NOS has been adopted as the focal point of science education reform objectives worldwide such as Australia, Canada, South Africa, United Kingdom and United States (Lederman, 2007). It has been argued that understanding of NOS is necessary 1) for understanding science and manipulates technological objects in daily life, 2) making informed decision on socioscientifc issues, 3) to culturally appreciate the values of science, 4) for aiding the development of moral commitment and 5) for facilitating learning the related subject matter of science (Driver, Leach, Millar & Scott, 1996). In a local context, NOS has also been explicitly included as major emphasis in the educational reform document (CDC 2002) and depicted in the official new senior secondary (NSS) curriculum assessment guide (CDC & HKEA, 2006). Lederman and Niess (1997, p.1) pointed out “the longevity of this educational [NOS] objective has been surpassed only by the longevity of students’ inability to articulate the meaning of the phrase ‘nature of science,’” However, it is found out that, not only students’ NOS understanding is weak, teachers’ understanding of NOS was weak (Lederman, 1992) as well even though understanding of NOS as curricula

objective has been vociferously articulated. Miller’s study (1963) even showed that teachers’ score on NOS is lower than students’ score. One of the main reasons account for this is likely to be that teachers are the “products of an archetypal education which has largely ignored the epistemic base and nature of its own discipline” (Bartholomew & Osborne, p. 659). The lack of understanding therefore lead to inability to teach NOS as knowledge of the nature of science is a necessary condition for teaching (Abd-El-Khalick & Lederman, 2000). However, variables such as pressure to cover content required, classroom management and organizational principles, concerns for students’ abilities and motivation, institutional constraints, teaching experience, discomfort with understandings of NOS, and the lack of resources and experiences for assessing understandings of NOS were identified as hindrance to the translation of teachers’ NOS conceptions into practice (Lederman, 2007). In response to the lack of pedagogical abilities among teachers teaching NOS, teacher professional development (TPD) projects are conducted in Hong Kong and the education for pre-service science teacher has emphasized on understanding of NOS. Shulman’s model (1986) of teacher knowledge can be used to devise meaningful improvement to teaching teachers how to teach NOS as this model served as the foundation of TPD for beginning teachers before (Abell, 2007). Shulman proposed such a model so as to understand the knowledge that is essential for teaching. The model has been modified and expended by later researchers (Grossman, 1990; Magnusson, Krajcik & Borko, 1999). In this model, pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is defined as knowledge developed by teachers that can help students to learn. PCK is influenced by subject matter knowledge (SMK), pedagogical knowledge, and knowledge of context (KofC). The focal point of the present study is the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), more specifically the PCK related to NOS, by using the model as the theoretical framework for analyzing. Pedagogical content knowledge consists of five components which are 1) orientations towards science teaching, 2) knowledge of science curriculum, 3) knowledge of assessment for science, 4) knowledge of science instructional strategies and 5) knowledge of student science understanding (Magnusson, Krajcik, and Borko, 1999). In the present study, this framework will be used to guide for the seeking of common characteristics of PCK in the teaching of NOS. It is hoped that as PCK is necessary to transform subject-matter knowledge into forms that is accessible for students being taught (Geddis, 1993), it will be beneficial, as there are few researchers conducted on PCK related to NOS teaching (Lederman, 2007), for improving TPD if the structure and characteristics of PCK can be unfolded. The present study proposes a qualitative analysis of data generated by Dr. Benny Yung’s , who is the potential supervisor of the present study, recent project on preparing teachers for teaching about science in the new senior secondary curriculum. The pre-service PGDE students will also be studied so as to further

probe into the development of PCK through teaching training. The specific research questions for the proposed study are as follows: 1)

What are the common characteristics of PCK related to teaching of NOS?

2) How such characteristics are developed? More specifically, is the TPD program help the development of such characteristics? If TPD helped the development of such characteristics, how can it help? Is it related to the reflective approach adopted by teachers?

Methodology Eighteen biology teachers in study groups of six to eight who has joined Dr. Yung’s project will form the sample for the present study. They were recruited from different school background (single-sex/missed; of different bandings, etc.) and have a variety of teaching experience. These teachers are grouped together according to the proximity of their schools. Teachers attended workshop provided by the project staffs for consolidation of knowledge on ideas about science and on design of learning and teaching activities for learning ideas about science. Individuals study groups have decided on adapting and refining particular curriculum material. The adapted curriculum materials are then be used in trail-run lessons while all lessons are video-taped. Teachers then have to analyze the video of lessons guided by project staffs. Teachers then have to submit the video of lessons and analysis to the project staffs and these videos will be considered by the project staffs for identifying exemplary video cases for thematic workshops on effective teaching. Students, around 20, studying science full-time in the University of Hong Kong (HKU) will also be invited to attend this study. The science stream of PGDE program in HKU has put specialized focus on the teaching of NOS. Students attending this study will be introduced the concept of PCK and write reflective journal on their understanding of NOS. There are two teaching practice opportunities for students and some of the lessons will be video-taped. Follow up interview will be conducted for cases that show genuine creativity and usefulness to discovering of characteristics of PCR. The assignment of curriculum package of previous PGDE biology students will be examined and look for characteristics of PCK in NOS teaching. If it is found that the perspective in the curriculum package is novel, follow-up interview will be arranged for probing into rationale behind and intention. Such a sample is chosen is because the subjects are under exposure of NOS teaching education and are encouraged to explicitly teaching NOS features. Therefore, it is more likely to discover PCK related to NOS in this sample. Data collection

The meeting with teachers, including individual study group meetings, the trail run lessons and the thematic workshop will be video-taped. The trail-run lessons will also come along with detailed field notes for analysis of PCK. These sources will be used to answer research question (RQ) 1. Interview will then be carried out with to individual teachers so as to further probe into the rationale of using particular feature in the lessons. The interview will be video-taped and will be useful in answer RQ 2. At the end of the project, teachers will be asked to fill in questionnaire probing their perception of professional growth. These questionnaires can be used to answer RQ 2. Further interviews with teachers after obtaining the results can be used to probe into the linkage between the PCK and the TPD. The PGDE students will be asked to write journal on their understanding of NOS and their pedagogical approach in teaching NOS. Some selected lessons in their MTP will be video-taped for answering RQ1. Another data that will be used is the concept map generated in the follow-up interviews. Interviewees will be asked to 1) contrast concept maps for probing their understanding 2) arranging predesigned concept maps for probing meta-structural understanding. It is hoped that by comparing different teachers’ concept maps and arrangement of concepts maps, additional dimension of PCK can be found. Treatment and analysis of data. The main sources of data are: 1) Audio- and videotapes of the various teacher meetings 2) Videotapes of lessons by teachers 3) Teachers’ own analysis of the trail lessons 4) Teachers’ preparatory tasks for thematic workshop 5) Teacher questionnaire probing their view on TPD 6) Videotape of follow-up interviews with teachers 7) Assignment of PGDE biology students 8) Concept maps generated by teachers Multiple data sources could provide opportunities for triangulation. Both qualitative analysis and simple quantitative analyses (e.g. frequency of appearing of particular features) will be carried out. For the qualitative analysis, it is intended to find common characteristics PCK in NOS teaching among all data sources. Video and

interviews will be transcribed and translated when necessary for further analysis such as discourse under when PCK of NOS is manifested. Standard for case study research will be closely adhered so as to enhance the trustworthiness and credibility of the finding (Guba & Lincoln. 1989). These will include regular revision of evidentiary warrant such as triangulation of data from different sources. Outcome and Value This study will contribute, both theoretically and practically, to teacher development. As Lederman (2007) has pointed out, there is virtually no research conducted in using perspective of PCK to analyze the teaching of NOS. This study can serve as one of pioneers in this field and bridge the gap existed between the bodies of literature of PCK and NOS. The practical significance of this student is to provide further perspective and framework for better planning and development of teaching training program on enhancing abilities of teaching NOS for both preservice and working teaching professionals. Moreover, as pointed out by Loughran, Milroy, Berry, Gustone and Mulhall (2001), the PCK is pretty much tacit to teachers so this study can also help the teachers who enrolled in this study to transform their tacit understanding into more explicit and articulable forms so that these PCK can share among teachers. Overall in Hong Kong, as the idea of NOS teaching is totally novel, there will be a great demand for TPD. This study can response to the demand by helping educators to plan and develop TPD.

Reference Abd-El-Khalick, F., & Lederman, N. (2000). Improving science teachers’ conceptions of the nature of science: A critical review of the literature. International Journal of Science Education, 22(7), 665-702. Bartholomew, H., & Osborne, J. (2003) Teaching Students “Ideas-About-Science”: Five Dimensions of Effective Practice. Science Education, 88(5), 655-682 Curriculum Development Council (2002). Basic Education Curriculum Guide. HKSAR: Education Department. Curriculum Development Council & Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (2007). Biology Curriculum and Assessment Guide (Secondary 4-6). HKSAR: Education and Manpower Bureau. Jenkins, E. W. (1996). The ‘nature of science’ as a curriculum component. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 28, 137-150. Geddis, A. N. (1993). Transforming subject-matter knowledge: The role of pedagogical contend knowledge in learning to reflect on teaching, International Journal of Science Education, 15, 673-683. Grossman, P. L. (1990). The making of a teacher: Teacher knowledge and teacher education. New York: Teachers College Press. Guba, G. G. & Lincoln, Y. S. (1989). Fourth Generation Evaluation. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Lederman, N. G. (1992). Students’ and Teachers’ Conceptions of the Nature of Science: A Review of the Research. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 29(4), 331-359. Lederman, N. G., & Niess, M. L. (1997). The nature of science: Natually? School Science and Mthematics, 97(1), 1-2 Lederman, N.G. (2007). Nature of Science: Past, Present, and Future. In Abell S.K. & Lederman N.G. (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Science Education (pp. 831979). London: Lawrence Elbaum Associates. Loughran, J. L., Milroy, P., Berry, A., Gustone, R., & Mulhall, P. (2001). Documenting science teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge through PaP-eRs. Research in Science Education, 31, 289-307. Miller, P. E. (1963). A comparison of the abilities of secondary teachers and student of biology to understand science. Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of scienc, 70, 510-513.

National Science Teachers Association. (1982). Science-technology-society: Science education for the 1980s (An NSTA position statement) Washington, DC: Author. Shulman, L. S. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researchers, 15(2), 4-14