J. Randy McGinnis
Science Teaching Center
Department of Curriculum & Instruction
Room 2226K Benjamin
University of Maryland, College Park
College Park, Maryland 20742
301-405-6234
jm250@umail.umd.edu
Tad Watanabe
Department of Mathematics
Towson University
Towson, Maryland 21204
A paper presented in the symposium "Approaches to Evaluation of Reform-based College Mathematics and Science Courses Funded Through NSF Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (CETP)" at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, California, April 13-17, 1998.
The preparation of this manuscript was supported in part by a grant from the
National Science Foundation
(Cooperative Agreement No. DUE 9255745).
This paper presents a reflection on how the research program conducted in Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation (MCTP) informs the evaluation of the project. Structurally, the paper is presented in three sections. An overview of the MCTP and the MCTP research program are presented in the first section. Next, a review of the literature on evaluation and research is conducted in section two. Two sources for this review are NSF documents and publications of evaluation theorists. Lastly, in section three, reflections-on-practice of the use of MCTP research to inform evaluation are presented by the MCTP Co-Directors of Research. Discussion centers on three researcher assertions: 1) By necessity, a Research Group's work is a public activity within a project; Conversely, an Evaluation Group's work tends to be a private activity; 2) The efforts of a Research Group can inform the evaluation within a project although tensions remain if the sole purpose of evaluation is perceived as for accountability; and, 3) While the information that most shapes the PIs daily decisions about the project comes from the internal Evaluation Group, many of the PIs state that a lasting legacy of project are the Research Group products.
Introduction
Section One: An Overview of the MCTP and the MCTP Research Group
The following questions served as the a priori research questions:
2. Do the faculty and teacher candidates perceive the instruction in the MCTP as responsive to prior knowledge, addressing conceptual change, establishing connections among disciplines, incorporating technology, promoting reflection on changes in thinking, stressing logic and fundamental principles as opposed to memorization of unconnected facts, and modeling the kind of teaching/learning they would like to see on the upper elementary, middle level?
2. What nature of teacher knowledge is requisite for effective teaching in a variety of contexts?
3. What specific analogies, metaphors, pitfalls, examples, demonstrations, and anecdotes should be taught content/method professors so that teacher candidates have some knowledge to associate with specific content topics?
2. Do MCTP teacher candidates attitudes toward and beliefs about mathematics and science change over time as they participate in the MCTP classes?
3. How do the MCTP faculty perceive their own discipline as well as the other discipline (mathematics/science) with which they seek to make connections?
4. How do college faculty "model" good instruction in mathematics and science methods courses for teacher candidates and how is that perceived by the teacher candidates?
5. How do new specialist teachers of mathematics and science who graduate from an inquiry-based, standards-guided innovative undergraduate teacher preparation:
(2) enact their roles as teachers; and,
(3) think about what they do when teaching science and mathematics with upper elementary/middle level students?
Section Two: Literature Review
Project evaluation...focuses on an individual project funded under the umbrella of the program. The evaluation provides information to improve the project as it develops and progresses. Information is collected to help determine whether it is proceeding as planned; whether it is meeting its stated program goals and project objectives according to the proposed timeline. (EHR/NSF, 1993, p. 3)
Research in the same document is defined broadly as "the general field of disciplined investigation" (EHR/NSF, 1993, p. 95). The general tone of this NSF document is that evaluation is conducted in a three step process (planning, formative, and summative) with a focus on quantitative data.
In a more recent NSF document on evaluation, there is a broadening of acceptance for evaluation data to include qualitative information in a mixed-methodological design (EHR/NSF, 1997). Interestingly, words by Cronbach (1982) are included in that document which acknowledge that:
there is no single best plan for evaluation, not even for an inquiry into a particular program at a particular time, with a particular budget (as cited in EHR/NSF, 1997, p. 4).
Section Three: Reflections-On-Practice In The MCTP
Assertion One: By necessity, a Research Group's work is a public activity within a project; Conversely, an Evaluation Group's work tends to be a private activity.
Assertion Two: The efforts of a Research Group can inform the evaluation within a project although tensions remain if the sole purpose of evaluation is perceived as for accountability.
Assertion Three: While the information that most shapes the PIs daily decisions about the project comes from the internal Evaluation Group, many of the PIs state that a lasting legacy of project are the Research Group products.
Conclusion
References
American Association for the Advancement of Science (1993). Benchmarks for Science Literacy. New York: Oxford University Press.
Brause, R., & Mayher, J. (Eds.). (1991). Search and re-search: What the inquiring teacher needs to know. London: Falmer Press.
Chelimsky, L. (1997). The coming transformations in evaluation. In Eleanor Chelimsky and William R. Shadish (Eds), Evaluation for the 21st century. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publishers
Chelimsky, E. & Shadish, W. R. (Eds.) (1997). Evaluation for the 21st century. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publishers.
Cobb, P. (1988). The tension between theories of learning and instruction in mathematics education. Educational Psychologist, 23(2), 87-103.
Driver (1989). The construction of scientific knowledge in school classrooms. In R. Miller (Ed.) Doing science: Images of science in science education. London: Falmer Press.
Directorate for Education and Human Resources/National Science Foundation (1997). User-friendly handbook for mixed method evaluations (No. NSF 97-153). Arlington, Virginia: Author.
Directorate for Education and Human Resources/National Science Foundation (1996). Teacher preparation and NSF Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (No. NSF 96-146). Arlington, Virginia: Author.
Directorate for Education and Human Resources/National Science Foundation (1993). User-friendly handbook for project evaluation: Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology Education (No. NSF 93-152). Arlington, Virginia: Author.
Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory: strategies for qualitative research. Chicago, IL: Aldine.
National Research Council (1996). National Science Education Standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (1991). Professional standards for teaching mathematics. Reston, VA: Author.
Smith, M. L., & Glass, G. V. (1987). Research and evaluation in education and the social sciences. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
The University of Maryland System (1993). Special teachers for elementary and middle school science and mathematics. A proposal submitted to the National Science Foundation Teacher Preparation and Enhancement Program.
Worthen, B. R., & Sanders, J. R. (19987). Educational evaluation: alternative approaches and practical guidelines. New York, NY: Longman.
Table 1
MCTP Research Citations
Publications
McGinnis, J. R., Watanabe, T., Roth-McDuffie, A, Kramer, S., &Shama, G. (1997). The Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation: Making sense of the enactment of reform in the preparation of specialist teachers of mathematics and science. In P. Rubba, P. Keig, & J. Rye (Eds.), Proceedings of the 1997 Association for the Education of Teachers of Science, (pp. 326-347). Pensacola, FL: Association for the Education of Teachers of Science. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 405 220)
Watanabe T. & Huntley, M. A. (1998, January). Connecting mathematics and science in undergraduate teacher education programs: Faculty voices from the Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation. School Science and Mathematics, 98(1), 19-25.
In review
McGinnis, J. R., Kramer, S., Shama, G., Watanabe, T., & Graeber, A. (in review). The assessment of teacher candidates' attitudes and beliefs about the nature of and the teaching of mathematics and science in college-level reform-based classes. Journal of Research in Science Teaching (48 pp.).
Roth-McDuffie, A.,& McGinnis, J. R. (in review). Perceptions of reform-style teaching and learning in a college mathematics class. American Educational Research Journal (40 pp.).
Watanabe, T., McGinnis, J.R., & Roth-McDuffie, A. (in review). Modelling effective instruction in undergraduate mathematics and science content courses: Perceptions of university faculty and teacher candidates. American Educational Research Journal (47 pp.).
National
McGinnis, J. R., Kramer, S., Watanabe, T., & McDuffie, A. (1998, April). Charting the attitude and belief journeys of teacher candidates in a reform-based mathematics and science teacher preparation program. A paper accepted for presentation at the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, California.
McGinnis, J.R., Kramer, S., & Tad Watanabe (1998, April). A longitudinal assessment of teacher candidates' attitudes and beliefs in a reform-based mathematics and science teacher preparation program. A paper accepted for presentation at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, San Diego, California.
McGinnis, J. R., Shama, G., Graeber, A., & Watanabe, T. (1997, March). The assessment of elementary/middle level candidates' attitudes and beliefs about the nature of and the teaching of mathematics and science. A paper presented at the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, Illinois. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 407235).
Watanabe, T., McGinnis, J. R., & Roth-McDuffie, A. (1997, March). University faculty "modeling" good instruction in mathematics and science courses for prospective middle grades teachers: Voices from the MCTP. A paper presented at the AmericanEducational Research Association, Chicago, Illinois. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.ED406896).
Table 1
MCTP Research Citations (Continued)
McGinnis, J. R., Watanabe, T., Shama, G., & Graeber, A. (1997, March). Development of an instrument to measure teacher candidates' attitudes and beliefs about mathematics and science. A paper presented at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Oak Brook, Illinois. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.ED406201).
Shama, G., Watanabe, T., & McGinnis, J. R. (1997, February). Teacher candidates' attitudes and beliefs toward the nature of and the teaching of mathematics and science. A paper presented at the Research Council on Diagnostic and Prescriptive Mathematics, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
McGinnis, J. R., Watanabe, T, McDuffie A. R., Kramer, S., & Shama, G. (1997, January). The Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation: Making sense of the enactment of reform in the preparation of specialist teachers of mathematics and science. A contributed paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Educators of Teachers of Science, Cincinnati, Ohio. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.ED402208).
McGinnis, J. R., & Watanabe, T. (1996, April). University scientists and mathematicians talk about the others' discipline: An examination of the role of discourse among professors involved in a collaborative mathematics/science teacher preparation. A contributed paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York City, New York. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.ED395785).
McDuffie, A., & McGinnis, J. R. (1996, April). Modeling reform-style teaching in a college mathematics class from the perspectives of professor and students. A contributed paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York City, New York. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.ED394432).
McGinnis, J. R., Graeber, A., Roth-McDuffie, A., Huntley, M., & King, K (1996, March). Researching the preparation of specialist mathematics and science upper elementary/middle level teachers: The second year MCTP report. A contributed paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Science Teachers Association, St. Louis, Missouri. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.ED395792).
McGinnis, J. R., & Watanabe, T. (1996, March). Higher education science teaching faculty talk about science and mathematics: An examination of the role of discourse in a middle-level teacher preparation program. A contributed paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, St. Louis, Missouri.
Watanabe, T, McGinnis, J. R., & Graeber, A. (1996, February). Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation: Integrating mathematics and science in pre-service education programs. A paper presented at the annual meeting of the Research Council on Diagnostic and Prescriptive Mathematics, Melbourne, Florida.
McGinnis, J. R., Roth-McDuffie, A., Graeber, A, & Watanabe, T. (1995, April). The Maryland collaborative for teacher preparation year-one report: Collaborating with mathematics and science professors to construct specialized upper elementary/middle level teacher preparation programs. A contributed paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, San Francisco, California.
Table 1
MCTP Research Citations (Continued)
Regional
McGinnis, J. R., Layman, J., O'Haver, T., Hoffman, J., & Denniston, K. (1995, November). The Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation. Presented at the regional meeting of the National Science Teachers Association, Baltimore, Maryland.
Molitor, L., & McGinnis, J. R. (1995, November). Integrating mathematics and the sciences in preservice methods courses. Paper presented at the regional meeting of the National Science Teachers Association, Baltimore, Maryland.
State
McGinnis, J. R., & Roth-McDuffie, A. (1998, January). A case study from an action research perspective of an MCTP science methods class. A paper presented at the Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation conference, College Park, Maryland.
McGinnis, J. R., & Watanabe, T. (1996, January). Research activities in the MCTP. A presentation at the Maryland Collaboration for Teacher Preparation instructor conference, Towson, Maryland.
McGinnis, J. R., Tobin, K., & Watanabe, T. (1995, November). Collaboration in teacher preparation. A presentation at the Mathematics Education Seminar Series, College Park, Maryland.
McGinnis, J. R., (1995, July). Research activities in the MCTP. A presentation at the Maryland Collaboration for Teacher Preparation instructor conference, Salisbury, Maryland.
McGinnis, J. R., & Watanabe, T. (1995, June). Research activities in the MCTP. A presentation at the Maryland Collaboration for Teacher Preparation instructor conference, Frostburg, Maryland.
McGinnis, J. R., Roth-McDuffie, A., & King, K. (1995, January). Research in the MCTP. A presentation at the Maryland Collaboration for Teacher Preparation instructor conference, Baltimore, Maryland.
McGinnis, J. R., Watanabe, T., Roth-McDuffie, A., & King, K (1994, November). Research in the Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation. A presentation for the National Science Foundation visiting committee, College Park, Maryland.
Molitor, L., & McGinnis, J. R. (1994, October). An update on the Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation (MCTP). A paper presented at the annual meeting of the Maryland Association for Science Teaching, Westminister, Maryland.
Figure Caption
Figure 1. Program overview of the Maryland Collaboration for Teacher Preparation.
Figure Caption
Figure 2. Program structure of the Maryland Collaboration for Teacher Preparation.