Enacting reform-based science materials: The range of teacher enactments in reform classrooms

• Published in: Journal of research in science teaching Vol. 42; no. 3; pp. 283 - 312
• Main Authors: Schneider, Rebecca M., Krajcik, Joseph, Blumenfeld, Phyllis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.03.2005; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Curriculum subjects: programmes and methods; Educational Change; Educational sciences; Exact and natural sciences; Middle School Teachers; Pedagogical Content Knowledge; Physics; Professional Development; Science Instruction; Science Materials; Scientific Concepts; Teaching Methods; Units of Study; Urban Areas; Classroom; Educational change; Professional development; Science Education; Secondary School Teacher; Teachers training
• ISSN: 0022-4308; 1098-2736
• DOI: 10.1002/tea.20055

To promote large‐scale science education reform, developers must create innovations that teachers can use to learn and enact new practices. As part of an urban systemic reform effort, science materials were designed to reflect desired reforms and to support teacher thinking by addressing necessary content, pedagogy, and pedagogical content knowledge for teachers. The goal of this research was to describe teachers' enactments in comparison to reform as instantiated in the materials. Four middle school teachers' initial enactment of an inquiry‐based science unit on force and motion were analyzed. Findings indicate two teachers' enactments were consistent with intentions and two teachers' enactments were not. However, enactment ratings for the first two were less reflective of curriculum intent when challenges were greatest, such as when teachers attempted to present challenging science ideas, respond to students' ideas, structure investigations, guide small‐group discussions, or make adaptations. Overall, findings suggest that purposefully using materials with detailed lesson descriptions and specific, consistent supports for teacher thinking can help teachers with enactment. However, materials alone are not sufficient; reform efforts must include professional development and efforts to create systemic change in context and policy to support teacher learning and classroom enactment. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 42: 283–312, 2005