Year 3: 2015/2016
In Year 3 (Sept. 01, 2015 – August 31, 2016), leader teachers who participated in the Year 1 or 2 of this project were selected to develop and implement school-based Professional Development workshops for other teachers in their school systems. The science consultants and project team worked with them to use the conceptual assessment tool and teaching interventions in their classroom to help their students to develop a robust understanding of accepted scientific models. In addition, paper and online versions of this diagnostic tool were developed so that teachers could obtain students’ responses efficiently. Ultimately, we hope to reach around 150-200 teachers in partner school boards, and science consultants and leader teachers will continue to use this training program after the project ends.
Specific objectives of the project activities during Year 3 are:
- To identify 2-3 leader teachers to work with science consultants and project team to develop and conduct Professional Development workshops for other teachers in their school systems using the conceptual assessment tool and teaching interventions;
- to collect teachers’ feedback and experience of using these assessment tools and evidence-based interventions;
- to reach around 150-200 teachers in partner school boards through website, blog and conference presentations.
Project activities includes:
- School-based Professional Development workshops led by leader teachers and science consultants to use these materials and tools.
- Assessment surveys were sent to students in Anglophone and Francophone school boards to investigate the impact of interventions.
- Individual interviews with project team teachers to ask them about any epistemological and pedagogical changes in their practice as well as collecting pre and post-assessment student data from participating teachers’ classrooms to investigate the impact of interventions.
- Teachers shared and discussed these training modules on the website and blog and provide comments after using them in their classrooms about their relevance and effectiveness.