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If preschool and elementary teachers are going to be better equipped to teach science, they need better training during teacher preparation programs—and that training needs to be accompanied by long-term support. That’s one of the main findings of a new report from the American Institute for Research (AIR), which looks at strategies to improve science teaching in the early grades.
Researchers reviewed more than two dozen studies of programs that aimed to improve science instruction from preschool to elementary school and found several key strategies that improved teachers’ content knowledge, raised the quality of science lessons, and led to better student science outcomes. Among these approaches were ensuring that aspiring teachers had a good understanding of science concepts, providing science training to mentor teachers (who often support new teachers), and offering educators long-term guidance as they introduce science lessons into the classroom.
These findings could be helpful as schools and teacher preparation programs look for ways to improve science education, particularly in the early grades. Previous research has shown that teachers of young children often face many challenges when it comes to teaching science. Although young children are often interested in and involved in science, teachers are not always given the proper training or resources to support this early interest. For example, early childhood teachers, nervous about inaccurate teaching, are less likely to offer science lessons to their students.
Also, science lessons often take a backseat to teaching in other areas; they are often pushed out of the schedule to allow teachers to address rigorous math and English standards and upcoming state exams. A 2018 study found that students in kindergarten through third grade are taught science for an average of 18 minutes a day, compared to 89 minutes for English and nearly an hour for math.
A new AIR report, which reviewed 25 projects funded by National Science Foundation programs to improve science instruction in preschool and elementary education, suggests that some of these trends can be reversed if better training and professional development are offered everywhere.
Researchers have found, for example, that science teaching improves when preservice teachers attend science classes taught by science teachers, rather than learning about science through a methodical course within a teacher’s department. While such courses generally offer instructional strategies, it is desirable for teachers to build a strong foundation in the general science concepts taught by science teachers, said Danielle Ferguson, senior research fellow at AIR.
At the same time, providing science training to mentor teachers – usually more experienced educators who provide training and support to new teachers – can also improve science education. Despite extensive classroom experience, mentor teachers may not necessarily be well-versed in science content, Ferguson said. Because there is generally little training on how to teach science, misconceptions or ineffective science teaching strategies can be “passed down from one generation of teachers to the next,” she added.
Researchers found that mentor teachers became more confident in science content and science teaching strategies after receiving professional development instruction. One study included in the AIR report found that after participating in the training, mentor teachers shifted from discussing classroom management strategies to focusing on quality instruction in elementary science. That focus then filtered down to the new teachers they taught, and those new teachers went on to provide more quality science lessons to their students.
Several research projects included in the report also looked at the benefits of continuing professional development, defined as those lasting a year or longer, rather than the “one-off workshops” that are common in professional development. Researchers found that long-term professional development experiences provided much-needed support as teachers taught science to young children. Students’ content knowledge also increased after their teachers received long-term support.
The long-term professional development training offered to teachers varies. It can include several activities, such as video-based lessons, online tutoring, and feedback for teachers based on recorded lessons. Ferguson said that no matter what method is used in training, only long-term support has a positive effect.
“Sustained [professional development] seems to have been beneficial for teachers and students,” she said. “All that mattered was time and access to someone who could work through whatever resource he was using.”
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