Teaching Neuroscience to Science Teachers: Facilitating the Translation of Inquiry-Based Teaching Instruction to the Classroom

In science education, inquiry-based approaches to teaching and learning provide a framework for students to building critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Teacher professional development has been an ongoing focus for promoting such educational reforms. However, despite a strong consensus re...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:CBE life sciences education 2012, Vol.11 (4), p.413-424
Main Authors: Roehrig, G. H, Michlin, M, Schmitt, L, MacNabb, C, Dubinsky, J. M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Best Practices
Classroom Observation Techniques
Classroom Techniques
College School Cooperation
Curriculum - statistics & numerical data
Educational Change
Educational Measurement - statistics & numerical data
Educational Practices
Faculty - statistics & numerical data
Humans
Inquiry
Instructional Effectiveness
Instructional Improvement
Instructional Innovation
Knowledge
Knowledge Base for Teaching
Neurosciences
Neurosciences - education
Pretests Posttests
Problem-Based Learning - statistics & numerical data
Professional Development
Program Length
Science - education
Science Course Improvement Projects
Science Teachers
Student Centered Curriculum
Teacher Improvement
Teaching - statistics & numerical data
Teaching Methods
Technology Transfer
Time Factors (Learning)
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Summary:In science education, inquiry-based approaches to teaching and learning provide a framework for students to building critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Teacher professional development has been an ongoing focus for promoting such educational reforms. However, despite a strong consensus regarding best practices for professional development, relatively little systematic research has documented classroom changes consequent to these experiences. This paper reports on the impact of sustained, multiyear professional development in a program that combined neuroscience content and knowledge of the neurobiology of learning with inquiry-based pedagogy on teachers' inquiry-based practices. Classroom observations demonstrated the value of multiyear professional development in solidifying adoption of inquiry-based practices and cultivating progressive yearly growth in the cognitive environment of impacted classrooms. (Contains 4 figures and 4 tables.)
ISSN:1931-7913
1931-7913
DOI:10.1187/cbe.12-04-0045