Developing in-service science teachers’ ownership of the PROFILES pedagogical framework through a technologysupported participatory design approach to professional development
Journal
Science Education International
Date Issued
June 2014
Author(s)
Abstract
Teacher ownership is crucial for the sustainability of science
education reform efforts. This paper discusses participatory design as a bottom-up
approach for promoting teachers’ sense of ownership of inquiry-based learning
and teaching approach as put forward by the PROFILES project. According to the
prevalent argument in favor of participatory design, this approach leads to designs
that are ecologically valid and attuned to different stakeholder needs. In this
study, we report on the investigation of a technologically-mediated approach of
participatory design of inquiry-based learning. Research questions address the
teachers’ perceptions of the affordances and trade-offs of the participatory design
approach, and its effect on teacher design efforts and on student motivation. We
collected qualitative data from 26 teachers and quantitative data from 171 high
school students. Teachers reported that the process of collaborative design and the
enactment of the designed module increased their ownership towards the
PROFILES module. The analysis of nine chemistry teachers’ discourse revealed
that this process allowed them to collaborate productively, resulting in the
development of a module that adopted the PROFILES 3-stage philosophy and
was more aligned with their students’ needs. The analysis of students’ surveys
indicated a statistically significant increase in motivation. These findings suggest
that technologically-mediated participatory design is a valid approach for
promoting teacher ownership of the PROFILES approach in science teaching.
education reform efforts. This paper discusses participatory design as a bottom-up
approach for promoting teachers’ sense of ownership of inquiry-based learning
and teaching approach as put forward by the PROFILES project. According to the
prevalent argument in favor of participatory design, this approach leads to designs
that are ecologically valid and attuned to different stakeholder needs. In this
study, we report on the investigation of a technologically-mediated approach of
participatory design of inquiry-based learning. Research questions address the
teachers’ perceptions of the affordances and trade-offs of the participatory design
approach, and its effect on teacher design efforts and on student motivation. We
collected qualitative data from 26 teachers and quantitative data from 171 high
school students. Teachers reported that the process of collaborative design and the
enactment of the designed module increased their ownership towards the
PROFILES module. The analysis of nine chemistry teachers’ discourse revealed
that this process allowed them to collaborate productively, resulting in the
development of a module that adopted the PROFILES 3-stage philosophy and
was more aligned with their students’ needs. The analysis of students’ surveys
indicated a statistically significant increase in motivation. These findings suggest
that technologically-mediated participatory design is a valid approach for
promoting teacher ownership of the PROFILES approach in science teaching.
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