Science and Mathematics
Teachers’ Experiences, Needs,
and Expectations Regarding
Professional Development
More details
Hide details
1
University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA
Publication date: 2008-01-22
EURASIA J. Math., Sci Tech. Ed 2008;4(1):31-43
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
High quality teachers are essential to improving the teaching and learning of mathematics
and science, necessitating effective professional development (PD) and learning
environments for teachers. However, many PD programs for science and mathematics
teachers fall short because they fail to consider teacher background, experience,
knowledge, beliefs, and needs (Loucks-Horsley, Love, Stiles, Mundry, & Hewson, 2003).
To develop more effective PD systems, it is necessary to assess and identify teachers’ PD
needs, expectations, experiences and constraints. In this manuscript, we describe the
findings from a study that examined the PD experiences, needs, expectations, and
constraints of middle and high school science and mathematics teachers in one state in the
U.S. We examine similarities and differences between science and mathematics teachers
and among teachers from urban, suburban and rural schools. The findings from this
study suggest that mathematics and science teachers participate in a minimal amount of
PD and that a number of factors contribute to this reality. Furthermore, science and
mathematics teachers do not experience effective PD learning environments described by
Bransford, Brown & Cocking (2000) and there is a mismatch between teachers’ PD needs
and experiences.