IBSE Final

Chapter 1 The Teaching of Science: Contemporary Challenges

tHE tEACHING OF SCIENCE: 21 st-CENTURY PERSPECTIVES 21

In conclusion, scientific inquiry has a long, rich, and appropriate place

in school programs. Science teachers can begin by applying a general under-

standing from the instructional core—namely, how teachers understand the

nature of scientific knowledge—and enhance that understanding by applying

the principles of learning discussion from the previous section. The obvious

extension is how to apply appropriately the ideas about scientific inquiry to

teaching and classwork. I have discussed various aspects of scientific inquiry in

prior works (Bybee 1997, 2002, 2005).

Professional Development: Improving Science Teachers’ Knowledge and Skills

Everything I have discussed—scientific literacy, incorporating research, and

an inquiry orientation—requires some level of professional development for

those in the science education community, and that is the personal obligation of

science teachers and the professional responsibility of education leaders. Profes-

sional development is among the most significant trends in education in the first

decades of the 21st century. One could view the categories I have presented as

topics or themes within which to initiate professional development programs.

Professional development experiences should not be instituted as single

“events” with topics that may be interesting but nonetheless isolated from the

central work of science teaching. So, for example, I recommend that profes-

sional development be seen as integral to science curriculum reform in school

systems. Assessment certainly could also be a central entry point for profes-

sional development.

National Standards and Professional Development

It is probably worth recalling the professional development standards because

they serve as an initial orientation for leaders. Here are the essential state-

ments on professional development from the National Science Education Stan-

dards (NRC 1996):

• Professional development for teachers of science requires learning essential

science content through the perspectives and methods of inquiry (p. 59).

• Professional development for teachers of science requires integrating

knowledge of science, learning, pedagogy, and students; it also requires

teachers to apply that knowledge to science teaching (p. 62).

• Professional development for teachers of science requires building under-

standing and ability for lifelong learning (p. 68).

• Professional development programs for teachers of science must be

coherent and integrated (p. 70).