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Vol. 74 No. 7 July 1997 Journal of Chemical Education 787 In the Classroom Preparing Preservice Chemistry Teachers for Constructivist Classrooms through Use of Authentic Activities Loretta L. Jones* Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO 80639 Harry Buckler Berthoud High School, Berthoud, CO Nathaniel Cooper Steamboat Springs High School, Steamboat Springs, CO Belia Straushein Northglenn High School, Northglenn, CO highlights projects supported by the NSF division of undergraduate education edited by Susan H. Hixson National Science Foundation Arlington, VA 22230 Curtis T. Sears, Jr. Georgia State University Atlanta, GA 30303 How does one become an expert high school chem- istry teacher? Research has shown that even when stu- dents complete a chemistry degree program and the pedagogical course requirements necessary for teacher licensure they may still graduate and begin teaching without a firm grasp of how to teach specific chemistry concepts (1). Research by Shulman (2, 3) suggests that expert chemistry teachers are those who have integrated their knowledge of chemistry with their knowledge of pedagogy—that is, they possess pedagogical content knowledge, the knowledge of how to foster the under- standing of specific chemistry concepts. A Collaborative Approach The Rocky Mountain Teacher Education Collabora- tive (RMTEC) was funded by the National Science Foun- dation to find ways to help preservice teachers (students in teacher-preparation programs) develop pedagogical content knowledge. Colorado State University, Metropoli- tan State College of Denver, and the University of North- ern Colorado (UNC) teamed with three two-year colleges (Aims, Denver, and Front Range Community Colleges) to improve the education of preservice science and math- ematics teachers. The collaborative agreed to address two major is- sues: the integration of content with pedagogy and the development and use of model teaching practices in col- lege courses. The lecture methods common in higher edu- cation differ significantly from methods found to be ef- fective in high schools. To help students connect desired teaching methods with chemistry teaching, several chem- istry courses were redesigned to model effective inquiry- based, constructivist (4) teaching strategies. For example, structured cooperative group activities were developed for use in lecture halls. Education courses were rede- signed to incorporate these same practices and to incor- porate fieldwork. Each year exemplary high school teach- ers were selected as Teachers-in-Residence to assist in the course revisions and to further their own develop- ment as expert teachers. The teachers participated in course delivery, developed teaching materials, and ob- served and critiqued classes. One of the courses revised was felt to be key to the development of pedagogical con- tent knowledge: a course in the teaching of chemistry. Seminar in the Teaching of Chemistry At UNC, in addition to a science methods course, Chemical Education 495, “Seminar in the Teaching of Chemistry” (CHED 495), is required for all chemistry and physical science undergraduates with a teaching emphasis. We wanted to ensure that students who took this course would be prepared to set up a chemistry classroom and laboratory, and implement constructivist and inquiry-based activities. Class topics were determined by using a survey of practicing science teachers conducted in 1994. The teach- ers indicated that they felt their preparation to be defi- cient in the areas of safety and the use of technology, and that one of the most difficult aspects of beginning to teach was setting up a laboratory program. Thus, we decided to focus on safety, laboratory work and manage- ment, and the use of technology, as well as on teaching strategies for active learning. Most school activities differ from those that form the work day of a scientist or teacher (5). Because we wanted to help students bridge the gap between functioning as a student and as a teacher, we developed an environ- ment in which the majority of the activities are “authen- tic activities” that a teacher might perform (such as pre- senting a demonstration), rather than “school activities” (such as writing an essay about demonstrations). Every assignment involves students in developing skills that they will later use in their own teaching. For example, students develop and present concept-teaching activities and chemical demonstrations. They also design an inquiry-based laboratory activity and build a conductiv- *Corresponding author.

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Page 1: Preparing Preservice Chemistry Teachers for Constructivist Classrooms through Use of Authentic Activities

Vol. 74 No. 7 July 1997 • Journal of Chemical Education 787

In the Classroom

Preparing Preservice Chemistry Teachers forConstructivist Classrooms through Use of Authentic ActivitiesLoretta L. Jones*Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO 80639

Harry BucklerBerthoud High School, Berthoud, CO

Nathaniel CooperSteamboat Springs High School, Steamboat Springs, CO

Belia StrausheinNorthglenn High School, Northglenn, CO

highlightsprojects supported by the NSF division of undergraduate education

edited bySusan H. Hixson

National Science FoundationArlington, VA 22230

Curtis T. Sears, Jr.Georgia State University

Atlanta, GA 30303

How does one become an expert high school chem-istry teacher? Research has shown that even when stu-dents complete a chemistry degree program and thepedagogical course requirements necessary for teacherlicensure they may still graduate and begin teachingwithout a firm grasp of how to teach specific chemistryconcepts (1). Research by Shulman (2, 3) suggests thatexpert chemistry teachers are those who have integratedtheir knowledge of chemistry with their knowledge ofpedagogy—that is, they possess pedagogical contentknowledge, the knowledge of how to foster the under-standing of specific chemistry concepts.

A Collaborative Approach

The Rocky Mountain Teacher Education Collabora-tive (RMTEC) was funded by the National Science Foun-dation to find ways to help preservice teachers (studentsin teacher-preparation programs) develop pedagogicalcontent knowledge. Colorado State University, Metropoli-tan State College of Denver, and the University of North-ern Colorado (UNC) teamed with three two-year colleges(Aims, Denver, and Front Range Community Colleges)to improve the education of preservice science and math-ematics teachers.

The collaborative agreed to address two major is-sues: the integration of content with pedagogy and thedevelopment and use of model teaching practices in col-lege courses. The lecture methods common in higher edu-cation differ significantly from methods found to be ef-fective in high schools. To help students connect desiredteaching methods with chemistry teaching, several chem-istry courses were redesigned to model effective inquiry-based, constructivist (4) teaching strategies. For example,structured cooperative group activities were developedfor use in lecture halls. Education courses were rede-signed to incorporate these same practices and to incor-porate fieldwork. Each year exemplary high school teach-

ers were selected as Teachers-in-Residence to assist inthe course revisions and to further their own develop-ment as expert teachers. The teachers participated incourse delivery, developed teaching materials, and ob-served and critiqued classes. One of the courses revisedwas felt to be key to the development of pedagogical con-tent knowledge: a course in the teaching of chemistry.

Seminar in the Teaching of Chemistry

At UNC, in addition to a science methods course,Chemical Education 495, “Seminar in the Teaching ofChemistry” (CHED 495), is required for all chemistryand physical science undergraduates with a teachingemphasis. We wanted to ensure that students who tookthis course would be prepared to set up a chemistryclassroom and laboratory, and implement constructivistand inquiry-based activities.

Class topics were determined by using a survey ofpracticing science teachers conducted in 1994. The teach-ers indicated that they felt their preparation to be defi-cient in the areas of safety and the use of technology,and that one of the most difficult aspects of beginningto teach was setting up a laboratory program. Thus, wedecided to focus on safety, laboratory work and manage-ment, and the use of technology, as well as on teachingstrategies for active learning.

Most school activities differ from those that form thework day of a scientist or teacher (5). Because we wantedto help students bridge the gap between functioning asa student and as a teacher, we developed an environ-ment in which the majority of the activities are “authen-tic activities” that a teacher might perform (such as pre-senting a demonstration), rather than “school activities”(such as writing an essay about demonstrations). Everyassignment involves students in developing skills thatthey will later use in their own teaching. For example,students develop and present concept-teaching activitiesand chemical demonstrations. They also design aninquiry-based laboratory activity and build a conductiv-*Corresponding author.

Page 2: Preparing Preservice Chemistry Teachers for Constructivist Classrooms through Use of Authentic Activities

788 Journal of Chemical Education • Vol. 74 No. 7 July 1997

In the Classroom

ity meter. Problems discussed in class are not only simpleones that illustrate one idea or principle, but are oftencomplex ones that students must solve by pulling to-gether ideas from several sources.

Students participate singly or in pairs in the teach-ing of each class. For example, the class not only per-formed an inquiry lab, but two students introduced themto it and led the analysis of its learning potential. Stu-dents visit exemplary local chemistry classrooms to findout how expert teachers manage laboratories and store-rooms and how they integrate student activities intoclasses. Students are introduced to the World Wide Weband to other instructional software. They must then com-plete an assignment using this technology.

Students are taught with methods we want themto use themselves. Time is spent in activities, discussion,and hands-on investigations, rather than in lectures.Students construct and evaluate their own models ofteaching as they learn by example and experience to con-duct chemistry classes that involve students in activelearning.

Assessment

Students develop the rubrics themselves for all per-formance-based assessments. Like the course activities,assessments are authentic; there are no quizzes or ex-aminations. Performance assessments involve the pre-sentation of a demonstration, a hands-on activity, andan interactive concept-teaching lesson, which are evalu-ated by both peers and instructor. Written assignmentsare shared among students to use later in their ownteaching.

Reactions

After some initial concerns about adjusting to a non-lecture course, students participate enthusiastically andon course evaluation forms they report that they foundthe course helped them to make connections betweenchemistry and other fields such as education. They foundthe field work useful, the learning environment support-ive, and the feedback from other students and instruc-tors valuable. Most importantly, students reported thatthey felt much better prepared to teach chemistry.

Acknowledgments

This work was partially supported by a grant fromthe National Science Foundation Division of Under-graduate Education Collaboratives for Excellence inTeacher Preparation Program (DUE-9354033). The ideasthat led to the work arose from many conversationsamong members of the RMTEC Chemistry Team, wereinfluenced in very helpful ways by colleagues HenryHeikkinen, University of Northern Colorado, and K.David Pinkerton, Smoky Hill High School, Denver, andwere refined with the help of our perceptive students.

Literature Cited

1. Cochran, K.; Jones, L. “The subject matter knowledge of preservicescience teachers”; in International Handbook of Science Education;Tobin, K.; Fraser, B., Eds.; Kluwer: The Netherlands, in press.

2. Shulman, L. S. Educ. Researcher 1986, 15; 4–14.3. Shulman, L. S. Harvard Educ. Rev. 1987, 57; 1–22.4. Bodner, G. M. J. Chem. Educ. 1986, 63, 873–877.5. Brown, J. S.; Collings, A.; Duguid, P. Educ. Researcher 1989, 18,

32–41.