Investigating the Meaningfulness of Preservice Programs Across the Continuum of Teaching (IMPPACT) in science education is an National Science Foundation funded, multi-university, collaborative research study involving Syracuse University, the University of Iowa and North Carolina State University.

PURPOSE

1) to better understand secondary science teachers’ learning of content and pedagogy over time as a result of key interventions within these preservice science teacher preparation programs;
2) to assess the subsequent impact of this learning on their classroom teaching and 7-12 grade student achievement gains in science; and
3) to determine what factors significantly influence secondary science teachers’ beliefs and classroom practices following graduation from these preservice preparation programs.The study is specifically targeted at investigating the longitudinal impact of preservice science teacher education program learning experiences on middle and secondary science teachers and their students (grades 7-12) across critical stages of the teacher continuum including: 1) upon entry into science teacher education; 2) during the candidacy stage of science teacher education programs including the associated field experiences; 3) during the early induction years as a new science teacher (years 1-4); and 4) during the post-induction stage of science teaching (years 5+).

An emphasis will be placed on examining how formal and informal learning experiences in science teacher education—in both pedagogy courses and subject matter courses—affect science teachers’ knowledge, beliefs and classroom practices, including student learning outcomes in middle and secondary science courses. The IMPPACT Project research will give insight into the unique developmental process that occurs during the preservice, induction, and post-induction years related to teacher behaviors and beliefs, as well as how skills, beliefs, and knowledge intertwine.

PEOPLE

Interdisciplinary research teams of science teacher educators, scientists and doctoral research associates at the three institutions work collaboratively on the five-year study. In addition, a Panel of Experts comprised of nationally renowned scholars, researchers and 7-12 practitioners and administrators with expertise in teacher education, professional development, large-scale qualitative and quantitative research design, cognitive sciences, and the natural sciences provide ongoing technical assistance to the project researchers.

INSTITUTIONS

The project investigators want to focus the study on large, doctoral-granting institutions that are similar in size, characteristics and preservice program features, yet located in different geographic regions of the country. In doing so, the researchers are able to investigate how these program interventions impact science teacher development over time in the broadest range of secondary school settings possible.

Each institutionsâ preservice program has an undergraduate and graduate certification degree option, requires extensive science content coursework, features multiple science methods courses, requires field placements at multiple grade levels in socio-economically and culturally diverse schools, offers specialized courses in technology, assessment or science-technology-society applications, and has a strong nature of science component within the overall program. The rich array of program features in common across these three institutions allows for strategic within and cross-site comparisons to be made related to each research question.

Publication and Presentations

R.E. Yager. “The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Position Regarding STS.” Paper presented at XIII International Organization for Science and Technology Education Symposium; Izmir, Turkey.

R.E. Yager. “STS in Iowa: Iowa Scope, Sequence, and Coordination as an Example of STS Success with Students in Twenty School Districts.” Paper presented at XIII International Organization for Science and Technology Education Symposium; Izmir, Turkey.

H. Akcay. “Applications of Science for In-Service and Pre-Service Teacher in Iowa.” Paper presented at XIII International Organization for Science and Technology Education Symposium; Izmir, Turkey.

B. Akcay. “Teaching Nature of Science via STS: The Effectiveness of One Year Action Research Project on Student Conception of the Nature of Science.” Paper presented at XIII International Organization for Science and Technology Education Symposium; Izmir, Turkey.

I. Erdogan. “The Effect of Different Levels of Constructivist Teaching Practices on Teacher Question Asking Behaviors.” Paper presented at XIII International Organization for Science and Technology Education Symposium; Izmir, Turkey.

M. Rannikmae, J. Holbrook, & A. Laius. “The Impact of an Intervention Course on the Teacher’s Role in Enhancine Scientific Literacy Among Their Students.” Paper presented at XIII International Organization for Science and Technology Education Symposium; Izmir, Turkey.

H.A. Seo & M.K. Shin. “STS Efforts in Korea: Iowa Korean Connection.” Paper presented at XIII International Organization for Science and Technology Education Symposium; Izmir, Turkey.

H. Akcay. “The Impacts of a Science Technology and Society Approach on Student Understanding of Science.” Paper presented at XIII International Organization for Science and Technology Education Symposium; Izmir, Turkey.

E. Hacieminoglu. “Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions and Motivations toward a Science Laboratory Course.” Paper presented at XIII International Organization for Science and Technology Education Symposium; Izmir, Turkey.

Z. Yakar. “Exploring the Relationship Between Teacher Educators’ Childhood Science Experiences and Their Epistemological Beliefs Regarding Young Children’s Science Learning.” Paper presented at XIII International Organization for Science and Technology Education Symposium; Izmir, Turkey.

I.O. Caliskan. “Preservice Science Teachers’ Think About in What Ways Their Classrooms are Constructivist.” Paper presented at XIII International Organization for Science and Technology Education Symposium; Izmir, Turkey.

E. Hacieminoglu. “Effect of Inquiry Instruction and Gender on Students’ Science Process Skills, Epistemological Beliefs, and Learning Approaches in Turkish Context.” Paper presented at XIII International Organization for Science and Technology Education Symposium; Izmir, Turkey.

R.E. Yager, J.W. Tillotson, & M.J. Young. “A Model for Analyzing the Role of Science Teacher Preparation Programs in Promoting Scientific Literacy.” Paper presented at The Association of Teacher Educator’s 2008 Summer Conference; Washington, DC.

J.W. Tillotson & M.J. Young. “The Impact of Pre-service Program Experiences on Early-Induction and Post-Induction Science Teachers’ Epistemological Beliefs.” Paper presented at NARST Annual Meeting 2008; Baltimore, MD.

J.W. Tillotson & M.J. Young. “Science Teachers’ Beliefs Regarding the Impact of Preservice Program Experiences.” Paper presented at 2008 American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting and Exposition; New York, NY.

G. Lim & R.E. Yager. “The Effects of Constructivist Teaching Approach in Middle School Science Classrooms.” Paper presented at 2008 ASTE International Conference; St. Louis, MO.

Y. Kim, G. Lim, & R.E. Yager. “Korean Pre-service Science Teachers’ Attitudes about Students Learning, Teaching Science, Classroom Environment, and Science Curriculum.” Paper presented at 2008 ASTE International Conference; St. Louis, MO.

P.J. Preczewski, J.W. Tillotson & M.J. Young. “Determination and Correlation of Factors Influencing the Reformed Science Teaching and Learning Questionnaire.” Paper presented at 2008 ASTE International Conference; St. Louis, MO.

M.J. Young, J.W. Tillotson, R. Yager, J. Penick, K. Holtz, P. Preczewski, J. Glowacki, T. Maher, J. Ploegstra, M. Sadeghpour-Kramer, & C. Soldat. “Investigating the Meaningfulness of Preservice Programs Across the Continuum of Teaching (IMPPACT) in Science Education: Year One Results, Issues, and Reflections.” Themed Paper Set presented at 2008 ASTE International Conference; St. Louis, MO.

M.J. Young & P.J. Preczewski. “Graduates Perceptions of Science Teacher Preparation Program Experiences.” Paper presented at 2007 Annual NE-ASTE Meeting; Amherst, MA.

P.J. Preczewski & M.J. Young. “Correlating Teachers’ Beliefs about Reformed Teaching to Actual Teaching Practice.” Paper presented at 2007 Annual NE-ASTE Meeting; Amherst, MA.

J.W. Tillotson & M.J. Young. “The IMPPACT Project: Year One Results”. Poster presented at 2007 TPC PI Conference; Reston, VA.

J.W. Tillotson & M.J. Young. “Investigating the Meaningfulness of Preservice Programs Across the Continuum of Teaching in Science Education (IMPPACT Project): Exploring the Links between Preservice Programs, Pedagogical Beliefs and Classroom Performance.” Paper presented at 2007 ESERA Conference; Malmo, Sweden.

J.W. Tillotson, M.J. Young, J. Luft, D. Ford, R. Yager, & J. Penick. “Teacher Education Profession Continuum Projects: Cross-Project Comparisons”. Paper presented at NARST Annual Meeting 2007; New Orleans, LA

M.J. Young & J.W. Tillotson. “The IMPPACT Project: Investigating the Role of Pre-service Science Teacher Education Programs in Promoting Scientific Literacy”. Poster presented at Building a Scientifically Literate Population and Workforce for the 21st Century Conference; Uniondale, NY.

J.W. Tillotson, M.J. Young, R. Yager, J. Penick, M. Sadeghpour-Kramer, T. Maher, & R. Anderson. “Investigating the Meaningfulness of Preservice Programs Across the Continuum of Teaching (IMPPACT) in Science Education: Identifying Issues, Negotiating Problems, Preliminary Results, and Reflections”. Paper presented at 2007 ASTE International Conference; Clearwater Beach, FL.

M.J. Young & C. Fidler. “Using the RTOP for Teacher Reflection”. Paper presented at 2006 Annual NE-ASTE Meeting; Amherst, MA.

J.W. Tillotson & M.J. Young. “The IMPPACT Project: Researching the Influence of Preservice Programs on Science Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices Across the Career Continuum”. Paper presented at 2006 ASTE International Conference; Portland, OR.

J.W. Tillotson & M.J. Young. “The IMPPACT Project: Researching the Influence of Preservice Programs on Science Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices Across the Career Continuum”. Poster presented at 2006 TPC PI Conference; Reston, VA.

J.W. Tillotson & M.J. Young. “Investigating the meaningfulness of preservice programs across the continuum of teaching—The IMPPACT project”. Poster presented at 4th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Education; Honolulu, HI.

J.W.Tillotson & M.J. Young. “The IMPPACT Project: A study of the influence of preservice programs over time”. Paper presented at 2005 Annual NE-ASTE Meeting; Amherst, MA.

This work was funded by the National Science Foundation, grant #0455819

page updated: 11/18/08