29 research outputs found
Testing teacher knowledge for technology teaching in primary schools
No full textToday's pupils grow up in a world full of technology. Education's duty is to offer them the opportunity to develop the ability to use, manage, assess, and understand technology in order to `survive' in today's technological society, and to provide them with a comprehensive and realistic concept of technology. Besides, stimulating pupils' natural curiosity for science and technology by offering science and technology education at school, is expected to increase the number of students in the field of science and technology. In the Netherlands, as in other European countries, only a relatively small number of students choose to start a study and career in this field, which is worrying with regard to the pursued development towards a more knowledge-based and technology-intensive economy (expressed in the Lisbon Strategy of the European Council in the year 2000). Although new standards for science and technology education in primary schools have been developed and governmental programmes have been started in the Netherlands since the beginning of this century, science and technology education has not yet a strong and established position in the curriculum of most primary schools and teacher training colleges. Teachers express to be confused about the content and learning activities that belong to science and technology education. Moreover, insufficient expertise of teachers is often mentioned as a restraint to offer science and technology education more regularly. Clearly, primary school teachers need to be trained to improve their knowledge of science and technology teaching. Therefore, teacher training colleges for primary education need to know what knowledge domains to train in order to educate pre-service and in-service teachers effectively. This thesis is specifically focused on technology education, as part of the learning domain `science and technology education', in the upper grades of primary schools. The general research aim of the presented studies is to investigate three domains of technology-specific teacher knowledge: (1) subject matter knowledge (smk), (2) pedagogical content knowledge (pck), and (3) attitude and self-efficacy (the affective domain). Moreover, the impact of these teacher knowledge domains on pupils' concept of and attitude towards technology is examined. Based on scientific literature, it is assumed that primary school teachers need to have sufficient smk and pck of technology, as well as a positive attitude towards technology and high self-efficacy in teaching technology, in order to stimulate their pupils' development of a realistic and comprehensive concept of technology and a positive attitude towards technology. Because teachers' pck is generally considered to be a central and vital domain of teacher knowledge, a major part of this thesis concerns the measurement and conceptualisation of teachers' pck of technology education. The research questions addressed in this thesis are as follows. 1. What teacher knowledge of technology do primary school teachers have and how are the different domains of teacher knowledge interrelated? 2. To what extent is teacher knowledge of technology related to pupils' concept of and attitude towards technology? 3. How to construct and validate a multiple choice test to measure primary school teachers' pck of technology education? 4. What latent factor structure underlies primary school teachers' pck of technology education? In chapter 2, entitled \Reviewing the relations between teachers' knowledge and pupils' attitude in the field of primary technology education", research questions 1 and 2 are addressed theoretically. Scientific literature on teacher knowledge for science and technology education is thoroughly reviewed with the help of a diagram that specifies the hypothetical relations between the three teacher knowledge domains (smk, pck, and attitude and self-e cacy). Teachers' smk is reported to be an influential knowledge aspect for technology teaching. It is generally assumed that smk is a prerequisite for the development of pck and it is said that smk is positively related to teachers' self-efficacy beliefs in teaching technology. Previous research empirically showed that pck of technology education is associated with enhanced learning of pupils in technology, with increased motivation, and with increased interest in technology. Concerning the relation between teachers' attitude and pupils' attitude, it is often intuitively expected that teachers' attitude affects pupils' attitude towards technology, though empirical evidence on this relation is not found. Furthermore, pupils' concept of technology is reported to be strongly related to their attitude towards technology. In chapter 3, entitled \Measuring teachers' pedagogical content knowledge in primary technology education", research question 3 is addressed. The construction and small-scale validation of a multiple choice test to measure primary school teachers' pck of technology education, the Teaching of Technology Test (ttt), is reported. The `rational' method of test construction proved to be effective and the content validity of the test is approved. However, regarding the production of items, it turned out to be very hard to formulate best answers and plausible distracters. The experts who wrote the items particularly struggled with creating best answer alternatives that needed to reflect a proper blend of smk and pedagogical knowledge. In chapter 4, entitled \Conceptualising pedagogical content knowledge by analysing the latent factor structure of a multiple choice test", research questions 3 and 4 are addressed. In this chapter, a large scale validation of the ttt and an analysis of the latent factor structure of pck is reported. As was expected from literature on pck in science education, the test scores correlate significantly with the test scores on smk and self-efficacy. It is therefore concluded that the ttt is also valid in terms of convergent validity. Concerning the reliability of the test, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) is found to be low, but this can be theoretically explained by the heterogeneous nature of pck. Calculation of test-retest reliability shows that the ttt is satisfactory consistent over time. Although it can be concluded that an important step forward has been made regarding the measurement of pck with a multiple choice test, the ttt is not a ready-to-use instrument yet. With regard to the latent factor structure of teachers' pck of technology, a factor structure of three independent knowledge components is confirmed by means of confirmatory factor analysis. The first factor, labelled knowledge of pupils' general concept and misconceptions related to technology, can be indicated as `knowing how to adjust activities to pupils' experiences of the technological world around them and their (mis)conceptions of technological topics'. The second factor, knowledge of the nature and purpose of technology education, can be described as `knowing the core characteristics of technology education, i.e., hands-on experiences and authentic problem solving'. The third factor, knowledge of pedagogical approaches and teaching strategies for technology education, can be characterised as `the art of asking questions that encourage pupils to think critically about the technological problem encountered'. However, the factor structure turned out to be obscured by many other elements, which supports the idea that pck is a highly heterogeneous construct, consisting of multiple intrinsic elements that are difficult to unravel. In chapter 5, entitled \Analysing teacher knowledge of technology education and its effects on pupils' concept and attitude", research questions 1 and 2 are addressed empirically. From test scores on a content knowledge test and the ttt, it is concluded that primary school teachers have basic levels of smk and pck of technology. Besides, both teachers' self-efficacy in teaching technology and their attitude towards technology are found to be moderately positive. Based on path analysis, it is concluded that smk is an influential factor for pck as well as for self-efficacy beliefs in teaching technology. Subsequently, self-efficacy beliefs are shown to have a strong influence on teachers' attitude towards technology. Furthermore, it is found that all effects of teacher knowledge on pupils' concept and attitude are non-significant, though teachers' pck proved to be the most important of the three teacher knowledge domains in a effecting pupils' concept. Through correlating test scores of individual pupils, it is shown that pupils' concept of technology is weakly, but significantly and positively, related to their attitude towards technology. Based on the findings in this thesis, it is recommended to focus on acquiring and developing smk as well as pck in primary school teacher training. Pre- and in-service teachers should be stimulated to acquire relevant smk and, above all, should be trained to use their smk to foster pupils' learning in technology, i.e., develop their pck. Besides, it would be helpful if the learning domain of science and technology education is defined in more detail. With clearly formulated key learning concepts, learning activities, and standards, teachers could focus more specifically on developing their smk and pck. However, it could be questioned whether it is realistic to presume that all primary school teachers have profound smk and pck of all subjects they teach. Educating more specialist instead of only generalist teachers could also be a way to increase smk and pck. One way or the other, it is highly recommended to ground regular teacher training and special professionalisation programmes on scientific research. But most importantly, science and technology education should first be given higher priority in primary teacher training and primary school curricula
Onderwijzen van natuur en techniek: weten wat en hoe.
No full text'Waarom heeft een dag 24 uur?' 'Wat gebeurt er met de zon als het nacht wordt?' 'Waarom schijnt de maan soms overdag?'
Jonge kinderen zijn nieuwsgierig, willen de wereld om hen heen onderzoeken en ontdekken. Maar deze nieuwsgierige en onderzoekende houding lijkt met de jaren te verdwijnen. En dat is jammer, want juist deze houding helpt hen bij het verwerven van nieuwe kennis. De leerkracht speelt een belangrijke rol bij het in stand houden en stimuleren van de natuurlijke ontdekkingsdrang van kinderen. Kennis en kunde zijn nodig om kinderen op de juiste wijze te prikkelen en uit te dagen.
Kinderen van nu groeien op in een wereld vol wetenschap en techniek. Om te kunnen participeren in de moderne maatschappij worden wetenschappelijke en technische kennis en vaardigheden steeds belangrijker. Tevens is onze kenniseconomie gebaat bij mensen met gedegen kennis van wetenschap en techniek. Er zijn meer studenten nodig die kiezen voor een wetenschappelijk en/of technische opleiding. Kinderen met een breed en realistisch beeld van wetenschap en techniek hebben ook vaak een positieve houding ten aanzien van dit domein en zullen later ook eerder geneigd zijn te kiezen voor een dergelijke opleiding
What everyone should know about science and technology:a study on the applicability of The Canon of Science in primary education
No full textFor many teachers in primary schools, teaching science and technology is a challenge. Recent surveys in the Netherlands (Walma van der Molen, 2009) indicate that teachers think science and technology education is important to their pupils. Besides, teachers express that pupils in general enjoy science and technology lessons. Yet, it is known that primary school teachers have little knowledge of science and technology and their self-efficacy with regard to teaching in this domain is rather low (e.g., Akerson, Morrison & McDuffie, 2006; Appleton, 2008; Traianou, 2007; Yilmaz-Tuzun, 2008). Hence, teachers might welcome a concise handbook or framework that tells them what is really important to know and teach about science and technology
50 Lessuggesties bij De junior bètacanon
No full textLessuggesties voor wetenschap & technieke bij de Junior Betacanon luister-cd's
Analysing teacher knowledge for technology education in primary schools
No full textTeacher knowledge guides a teacher's behaviour in the classroom. Teacher knowledge for technology education is generally assumed to play an important role in affecting pupils' learning in technology. There are an abundant number of teacher knowledge models that visualise different domains of teacher knowledge, but clear empirical evidence on how these domains interact is lacking. Insights into the interaction of teacher knowledge domains could be useful for teacher training. In this study, the hypothesised relations between different domains of teacher knowledge for technology education in primary schools were empirically investigated. Subject matter knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy were measured with tests and questionnaires. Results from a path analysis showed that subject matter knowledge is an important prerequisite for both pedagogical content knowledge and self-efficacy. Subsequently, teachers' self-efficacy was found to have a strong influence on teachers' attitude towards technology. Based on the findings in this study, it is recommended that teacher training should first of all focus on the development of teachers' subject matter knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. This knowledge will positively affect teachers' confidence in teaching and, in turn, their attitude towards the subject. More confidence in technology teaching and a more positive attitude are expected to increase the frequency of technology education, which consequently increases teaching experience and thereby stimulates the development of teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. This circle of positive reinforcement will eventually contribute to the quality of technology education in primary schools
Vakdidactische kennis op het gebied van techniek in het basisonderwijs: Het meten van 'Pedagogical Content Knowledge'.
No full textGoed onderwijs vraagt van leerkrachten een diepgaand begrip en grondige kennis van de vakinhoud en van de geschikte onderwijsactiviteiten om in staat te zijn de juiste vragen aan leerlingen te stellen. Dit concludeerden Bransford, Brown, en Cocking (2004) in hun toonaangevende boek 'How people learn'. Deze conclusie impliceert dat vakspecifieke kennis van een leerkracht heel belangrijk is voor goed techniekonderwijs.
Uit onderzoek naar de attitudes van leerlingen ten aanzien van techniek is gebleken dat een positieve attitude bij leerlingen vaak samenhangt met een goed en volledig beeld van techniek. Het is daarom noodzakelijk dat leerkrachten zelf een goed en zo volledig mogelijk beeld van techniek hebben om een positieve attitude bij hun leerlingen te kunnen stimuleren (De Vries, 2000).
Kortom, leerkrachten hebben voldoende vakkennis nodig om 'technologische geletterdheid' en een positieve attitude ten aanzien van techniek bij leerlingen te kunnen ontwikkelen. Het is belangrijk om te weten of, en zo ja hoe en in welke mate, de specifieke vakkennis van techniek van leerkrachten de attitudes van leerlingen beïnvloedt.
In dit hoofdstuk wordt allereerst dieper ingegaan op kennis van leerkrachten. Daarbij wordt een onderscheid gemaakt tussen vakinhoudelijke kennis, vakdidactische kennis en attitude ten aanzien van techniek. Er wordt een relatie gelegd tussen kennis van leerkrachten en de percepties en attitudes van leerlingen. Vervolgens wordt het bepalen van 'Pedagogical Content Knowledge' bij leerkrachten besproken en de constructie en validatie van een test om deze kennis te meten beschreven. Ten slotte wordt in de laatste paragraaf teruggeblikt op de gevonden resultaten
Measuring primary school teachers' pedagogical content knowledge in technology education with a multiple choice test
No full textPedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is a crucial part of a teacher’s knowledge base for teaching. Studies in the field of technology education for primary schools showed that this domain of teacher knowledge is related to pupils’ increased learning, motivation, and interest. The common methods to investigate teachers’ PCK are often complicated, and time and labour consuming. Hence, a challenge in measuring teachers’ PCK is to construct an instrument that is time and labour-efficient, and makes it possible to
investigate large sample sizes. This paper illustrates how a multiple choice test to measure teachers’ PCK in primary technology education was designed and validated. The procedure of test construction and results related to the validation of the test are presented. It is concluded that the systematic procedure that was followed is effective for the construction of a valid test Statistical analyses showed that test-retest reliability as well as convergent validity of the test is satisfying. Despite the heterogeneity of the
construct, measurement of PCK with a multiple choice test has clear-cut advantages compared to qualitative methods
Persoonlijke professionaliteit en disposities van docenten
No full textIn dit artikel wordt een kortlopend onderwijsonderzoek naar de persoonlijke professionaliteit van docenten beschreven. We leggen daarbij de nadruk op disposities van docenten en richten ons op twee onderzoeksvragen: 1) Welke disposities zijn van belang voor goed onderwijs volgens docenten en schoolleiders? en 2) Op welke manier komen disposities tot uiting in de praktijk volgens docenten? Een dispositie kan omschreven worden als 'de tendens in een verzameling van geobserveerde gedragingen', kortweg: een gedragspatroon. Een dispositie wordt gevormd door een samenhangend geheel van persoonlijke en professionele aspecten die je waar kunt nemen bij een docent tijdens de uitoefening van het beroep. Aspecten van beide dimensies van het beroep zijn namelijk onlosmakelijk verbonden. We denken dat in concrete termen beschreven disposities in hoge mate herkenbaar zullen zijn voor docenten en niet genegeerd mogen worden wanneer gesproken wordt over de kwaliteit van docenten. Disposities zijn geen vaststaande eigenschappen, maar kunnen worden ontwikkeld. Het doel van dit onderzoek was om meer inzicht te verwerven in de herkenbaarheid en praktische toepasbaarheid van disposities
Constructie en validatie van de Techniek Didactiek Test: Een nieuw instrument voor het meten van PCK op het gebied van techniek in het basisonderwijs
No full textPersoonlijke professionaliteit : overtuigingen, disposities en competenties van docenten in het voortgezet onderwijs
No full textOnderwijzen is meer dan een verzameling technisch-instrumentele handelingen. Al zijn bepaalde competenties onontbeerlijk voor het bekwaam kunnen uitoefenen van het beroep, een goede docent heeft meer nodig dan de juiste kennis en vaardigheden. Het Noord-Brabantse schoolbestuur Ons Middelbaar Onderwijs (OMO) erkent deze zienswijze en hecht in haar strategisch beleid ‘Koers 2016’ een groot belang aan de docent als persoon. OMO ziet persoonlijke ontwikkeling dan ook als cruciaal onderdeel van de professionele ontwikkeling van de docent. Dit onderzoek tracht een gefundeerde bijdrage te leveren aan de wetenschappelijk onderbouwing van deze visie. Uit wetenschappelijke literatuur kunnen we opmaken dat docenten vanuit geïnternaliseerde overtuigingen werken en bepaalde disposities, tendensen in geobserveerde gedragingen, vertonen, die het onderwijzen beïnvloeden. Naast een literatuurverkenning zijn gegevens in het veld verzameld door middel van groepsgesprekken met schoolleiders en docenten en een vragenlijst voor docenten. Op basis van de resultaten kunnen we concluderen dat goede docenten, volgens docenten zelf, ook ‘als persoon’ hun beroep goed moeten kunnen uitoefenen. Het draait daarbij voornamelijk om inter-persoonlijke disposities. Wat betreft overtuigingen van een docent wordt een meer leerling- en vraaggerichte kijk op onderwijs vaker geassocieerd met een goede docent dan een meer docent- en aanbodgerichte opvatting. Tevens is in het kader van dit onderzoek een kijkkader, in de vorm van een zelfevaluatietool voor docenten, ontwikkeld. Dit (concept-)instrument helpt docenten inzicht te verschaffen in hun eigen overtuigingen, disposities en competenties en vanuit dit perspectief hun beroep te benaderen
