Brendan Callahan | Kennesaw State University (original) (raw)
Papers by Brendan Callahan
Journal of Science Teacher Education
Research in Science Education
Two common reasons elementary preservice teachers have low self-efficacy with science teaching is... more Two common reasons elementary preservice teachers have low self-efficacy with science teaching is their lack of content knowledge and past negative experiences with science teaching or learning. Holding low self-efficacy beliefs has negative impacts on both the method of science instruction and amount of science instruction delivered in the elementary classroom. Many researchers have successfully explored methods for improving elementary preservice teachers’ science teaching self-efficacy by providing positive, inquiry-based learning experiences during a science methods course, but the present study explores how to improve elementary preservice teachers’ science teaching self-efficacy beliefs by engaging them in socioscientific issues (SSI) during their elementary methods course. Using a mixed methods approach, we collected quantitative with the science teaching efficacy beliefs instrument part B (STEBI-B) and qualitative data through short answer responses focused on understanding their perceptions and confidence with science instruction. Our analysis of the qualitative data focused on identifying the influences for any change that resulted from the STEBI results. Our findings illustrate SSI as a commonly identified reason for positive changes in general science teaching self-efficacy. Implications for utilizing SSI as an approach to combat low science teaching self-efficacy are discussed.
In 2010, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) called for colleges ... more In 2010, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) called for colleges and universities to “turn teacher education upside down” (pg. 2) and focus on clinical experiences, rather than coursework. This charge resulted in major shifts in teacher education programs in the USA as colleges and universities forged new partnerships to create yearlong clinical experiences that included co-teaching (Bacharach, Heck, & Dahlberg, 2010) and coaching (Strieker, Lim, Hubbard, Crovitz, Gray, Holbein, & Steffen, 2017). Early in 2018, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Commission on Clinical Experiences recognized and described the mutual benefits of expanding these partnerships between schools and universities to include various forms of collaboration, co-teaching and coaching. While these partnerships are increasing in number, little is known about the efficacy of the specific practices employed in the co-taught classroom. This self-study ex...
Cultural Studies of Science Education, 2016
Reading the interesting article Discerning selective traditions in science education by Per Sund,... more Reading the interesting article Discerning selective traditions in science education by Per Sund, which is published in this issue of CSSE, allows us to open the discussion on procedures for teaching science today. Clearly there is overlap between the teaching of science and other areas of knowledge. However, we must constantly develop new methods to teach and differentiate between science education and teaching science in response to the changing needs of our students, and we must analyze what role teachers and teacher educators play in both. We must continually examine the methods and concepts involved in developing pedagogical content knowledge in science teachers. Otherwise, the possibility that these routines, based on subjective traditions, prevent emerging processes of educational innovation. Modern science is an enormous field of knowledge in its own right, which is made more expansive when examined within the context of its place in society. We propose the need to design educative interactions around situations that involve science and society. Science education must provide students with all four dimensions of the cognitive process: factual knowledge, conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and metacognitive knowledge. We can observe in classrooms at all levels of education that students understand the concepts better when they have the opportunity to apply the scientific knowledge in a personally relevant way. When students find value in practical exercises and they are provided opportunities to reinterpret their experiences, greater learning gains are achieved. In this sense, a key aspect of educational innovation is the change in teaching methodology. We need new tools to respond to new problems. A shift in teacher education is needed to realize the rewards of situating science questions in a societal context and opening classroom doors to active methodologies in science education to promote meaningful learning through meaningful teaching.
There is an uneasy relationship between many college students and science. In some cases, this un... more There is an uneasy relationship between many college students and science. In some cases, this uneasiness is a result of perceived conflict between science and their personal views. The field of epistemology studies the nature of human knowledge, which has the potential to impact students’ views on science. We conducted a pilot study in order to quantify the relationship between college students’ epistemological views and their socio-cultural views of science. 37 undergraduate students (both science majors and non-majors) completed both the Epistemic Beliefs Inventory (EBI) and the Thinking about Science survey Instrument (TSSI). The EBI is designed to measure students’ views on five factors of knowledge, while the TSSI measures nine dimensions of scientific beliefs. We found a positive correlation between belief in an omniscient authority and certain knowledge. We also found these same students had a generally negative attitude towards science in general. This paper provides eviden...
Journal of Science Teacher Education
Research in Science Education
Two common reasons elementary preservice teachers have low self-efficacy with science teaching is... more Two common reasons elementary preservice teachers have low self-efficacy with science teaching is their lack of content knowledge and past negative experiences with science teaching or learning. Holding low self-efficacy beliefs has negative impacts on both the method of science instruction and amount of science instruction delivered in the elementary classroom. Many researchers have successfully explored methods for improving elementary preservice teachers’ science teaching self-efficacy by providing positive, inquiry-based learning experiences during a science methods course, but the present study explores how to improve elementary preservice teachers’ science teaching self-efficacy beliefs by engaging them in socioscientific issues (SSI) during their elementary methods course. Using a mixed methods approach, we collected quantitative with the science teaching efficacy beliefs instrument part B (STEBI-B) and qualitative data through short answer responses focused on understanding their perceptions and confidence with science instruction. Our analysis of the qualitative data focused on identifying the influences for any change that resulted from the STEBI results. Our findings illustrate SSI as a commonly identified reason for positive changes in general science teaching self-efficacy. Implications for utilizing SSI as an approach to combat low science teaching self-efficacy are discussed.
In 2010, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) called for colleges ... more In 2010, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) called for colleges and universities to “turn teacher education upside down” (pg. 2) and focus on clinical experiences, rather than coursework. This charge resulted in major shifts in teacher education programs in the USA as colleges and universities forged new partnerships to create yearlong clinical experiences that included co-teaching (Bacharach, Heck, & Dahlberg, 2010) and coaching (Strieker, Lim, Hubbard, Crovitz, Gray, Holbein, & Steffen, 2017). Early in 2018, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Commission on Clinical Experiences recognized and described the mutual benefits of expanding these partnerships between schools and universities to include various forms of collaboration, co-teaching and coaching. While these partnerships are increasing in number, little is known about the efficacy of the specific practices employed in the co-taught classroom. This self-study ex...
Cultural Studies of Science Education, 2016
Reading the interesting article Discerning selective traditions in science education by Per Sund,... more Reading the interesting article Discerning selective traditions in science education by Per Sund, which is published in this issue of CSSE, allows us to open the discussion on procedures for teaching science today. Clearly there is overlap between the teaching of science and other areas of knowledge. However, we must constantly develop new methods to teach and differentiate between science education and teaching science in response to the changing needs of our students, and we must analyze what role teachers and teacher educators play in both. We must continually examine the methods and concepts involved in developing pedagogical content knowledge in science teachers. Otherwise, the possibility that these routines, based on subjective traditions, prevent emerging processes of educational innovation. Modern science is an enormous field of knowledge in its own right, which is made more expansive when examined within the context of its place in society. We propose the need to design educative interactions around situations that involve science and society. Science education must provide students with all four dimensions of the cognitive process: factual knowledge, conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and metacognitive knowledge. We can observe in classrooms at all levels of education that students understand the concepts better when they have the opportunity to apply the scientific knowledge in a personally relevant way. When students find value in practical exercises and they are provided opportunities to reinterpret their experiences, greater learning gains are achieved. In this sense, a key aspect of educational innovation is the change in teaching methodology. We need new tools to respond to new problems. A shift in teacher education is needed to realize the rewards of situating science questions in a societal context and opening classroom doors to active methodologies in science education to promote meaningful learning through meaningful teaching.
There is an uneasy relationship between many college students and science. In some cases, this un... more There is an uneasy relationship between many college students and science. In some cases, this uneasiness is a result of perceived conflict between science and their personal views. The field of epistemology studies the nature of human knowledge, which has the potential to impact students’ views on science. We conducted a pilot study in order to quantify the relationship between college students’ epistemological views and their socio-cultural views of science. 37 undergraduate students (both science majors and non-majors) completed both the Epistemic Beliefs Inventory (EBI) and the Thinking about Science survey Instrument (TSSI). The EBI is designed to measure students’ views on five factors of knowledge, while the TSSI measures nine dimensions of scientific beliefs. We found a positive correlation between belief in an omniscient authority and certain knowledge. We also found these same students had a generally negative attitude towards science in general. This paper provides eviden...