Table Of ContentRose M. Pringle
Researching
Practitioner
Inquiry as
Professional
Development
Voices from the Field of Science Teaching
Researching Practitioner Inquiry as Professional
Development
Rose M. Pringle
Researching Practitioner
Inquiry as Professional
Development
Voices from the Field of Science Teaching
Rose M. Pringle
College of Education, School of Teaching and Learning
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL, USA
ISBN 978-3-030-59549-4 ISBN 978-3-030-59550-0 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59550-0
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This book is dedicated to George, George
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best teachers!
Preface
There are numerous texts on the market that describe the process and procedures for
conducting practitioner or teacher inquiry. There are also many texts on profes-
sional development (PD) in general that have, as the primary goal, the promotion of
teachers’ learning and improved pedagogical practices. This book, Researching
Practitioner Inquiry as Professional Development: Voices from the Field of Science
Teaching, strategically presents the authentic voices of middle school science teach-
ers validating the use of teacher inquiry in facilitating their learning and in shaping
their classroom practices. Practitioner or teacher inquiry is teachers’ intentional
involvement as researchers steeped in the systematic study of their own teaching
practices. The impetus for making inquiries into their own practices emerges from
a place of concern for students’ learning and the teachers’ desire to make the neces-
sary pedagogical adjustments.
This book is about middle school science teachers, their engagement in a multi-
faceted PD program, and the deliberate practice of practitioner inquiry as a tool to
support their learning. In the broader context, the book lays bare the role of science
education and its development over the years to contribute to the development of a
scientifically literate society. A society in which its citizens have a good understand-
ing of the nature of science and grasp the local, national, and global implications of
scientific issues such as climate change and renewable energy. Science education is
also expected to ensure the availability of a continued pipeline to careers in science
and engineering. At this current juncture, and in the face of new societal expecta-
tions, science education has had to make the necessary adjustments. Changes in
society and the new wave of reform being spurred on, however, are not occurring in
a vacuum. Hence, the book introduces and briefly discusses major reforms in sci-
ence education. The discussion begins with the era of Sputnik and ends with the
current reform as described in A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices,
Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. What follows the historical discussion is a
description of the PD program, including the NSF-sponsored Teacher Institute for
the 21st Century, and other complementary workshop activities. The program
described in Chap. 3 supported the preparation of middle school science teachers
who would, as agents of change, lead district-wide transformation of science
vii
viii Preface
teaching. Four years later, the program was scaled and now being sustained as a
one-year professional learning certificate program for third to eighth grade teachers
of science.
Chapter 4 describes the intense process of introducing the group of teachers to
practitioner or teacher inquiry and to its acceptance as being viable within the con-
text of education research. The chapter is described as intense because the course
and the process of conducting the teacher inquiry challenged the teachers’ beliefs
about research, their engagement as researchers, and the extent to which their work
would have credence within their schools and districts. The efforts of the PD were
to ultimately increase students’ science achievement by positioning the group of
teachers as agents of change in the transformation of science teaching. The program
therefore embraced the current reform efforts in science education and was guided
by a conceptual framework that situated teachers as learners in their classrooms as
they deepen both disciplinary content knowledge and science-specific teaching
practices. The teachers’ introduction to practitioner inquiry as research, their strug-
gles in accepting the process, and how they eventually conceptualized their engage-
ment in inquiry as PD are carefully documented. Chapter 4 is important to
understanding the process of developing a culture of practitioner inquirers among
practicing teachers and also sets the context leading to the voices of the teachers
presented in the following three chapters.
Chapters 5, 6 and 7 give credence to the teachers’ experiences. The teachers,
immersed in the cycle of inquiry, illuminated the complex and challenging nature
inherent in teaching. Their stories provide a first-hand account of the potentials and
possibilities of practitioner inquiry as PD and teachers as knowledge producers. The
narratives are presented around three major themes that emerged from the analysis
of the issues of practice addressed by the teachers. Within each theme, three repre-
sentative narratives are presented. Each chapter ends with a critical discussion of the
importance of the knowledge garnered from the teachers’ experiences and the link
between theory and practice.
In Chap. 8, the final chapter, I position practitioner inquiry as an element of PD
and discuss the impact of the process on teachers’ learning as indicated in their
reflections and response to a formal interview. The book is about elevating teachers’
voices and giving credence to their positions as knowledge generators. Hence, in
continuing this theme, their reflections and their perspectives are used to frame the
value-added components of practitioner inquiry within the context of their learning.
During the process of conducting the inquiry, teachers systematically and intention-
ally observed and reflected on their teaching with specific intent to make adjustment
toward improved practice. I present the teachers’ reflections on their learning, the
ways their practices were impacted by the newly constructed knowledge, and how,
in some instances, they were forced to confront policies and systemic issues.
Teachers were aware of the issues in the broader systems that inhibited change, but
over time, they collectively began to conceptualize practitioner inquiry as a tool that
can be incorporated and harnessed to support effective practices in their local
contexts.
Preface ix
The teachers agreed that the standard-driven science curriculum that included
learning progression, integration of science content and skills, and well-defined
instructional practices for supporting students’ learning provided ease during its
enactment. In planning for and conducting the practitioner inquiries, teachers there-
fore focused on vexing issues in their own contexts that were negatively impacting
students’ learning. In the process, teachers built closer and stronger relationship
with their students, developed a range of teaching strategies specifically related to
issues of learning, and became empowered as they adjusted their instructions. The
book ends with making the case for elevating practitioner inquiry to the status of
being an element of effective PD. When teachers as learners are driven by the need
to increase students’ achievements, they confront their realities and make the neces-
sary pedagogical adjustments in their local contexts. This is the essence of teacher
learning and the beginning of changing the culture of learning in schools – a focus
on improving students’ achievement from the inside.
Acknowledgments
The University of Florida Unites Teachers to Reform Education in Science
(U-FUTuRES) project was funded by the National Science Education Math/Science
partnership program, Award # 1050166. The book, Researching Practitioner Inquiry
as Professional Development: Voices from the Field of Science Teaching, focuses on
one aspect of the 5-year federally funded–program – teachers conducting practitio-
ner inquiry. The program was a comprehensive endeavor. I acknowledge that the
successes we have achieved are attributable to the dynamic team of individuals who
contributed to the planning and enactment of the program throughout the years.
First, I acknowledge Dr. Lynda Hayes, who, as the principal investigator and in
her positions as a school and district administrator and an affiliate university profes-
sor, occupied a unique position from the program’s conception through to its sus-
tainability. Her wisdom and knowledge of the nature of schools, administration, and
partnerships were superb in the creation, alignment, and achievement of the vision
of U-FUTuRES.
Dr. Jenn Mesa was the program’s associate for science education. Her passion
for science teaching and learning and her tireless collaborative effort supported the
translation of the project plans into meaningful learning activities for the teachers.
Jenn, your involvement in the program will always be greatly appreciated.
I am grateful for the managerial and organization skills and attention to details
that Dr. Leela Kumaran brought to the program in her role as program associate.
Her knowledge and expertise were priceless!
I extend gratitude to Dr. Natalie King, Dr. Joanne LaFramenta, Dr. Tim Barko,
and Mrs. Erin Mistry for the extensive travels to observe classrooms, offer support
in course development, and the valuable contributions to the different phases of the
program.
Dr. Karen Kilgore, thanks for your assistance in the final research efforts of the
program. Your skills in data collection and your assistance in analysis contributed
greatly to the articulation of the teachers’ voices.
The program was for middle school science teachers. I thank all 37 teachers who
participated in the initial program. I also extend many thanks to the nine teachers
whose voices have been amplified in the telling of their stories: Mayra, Allison,
xi
xii Acknowledgments
Anthony, Brittni, Jennifer, Janet, Ruth, Sean, and Sandra. May you all continue to
be stellar in the field of science teaching.
This book is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation
under Grant No. 1050166. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommenda-
tions expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect
the views of the National Science Foundation.
