Project I.D.Project Instrument Development
Project I.D.Project Instrument Development
Empowerment in Career Science Teachers: Instrument Development for Exploring the Professional
Growth Continuum Funded by the National Science Foundation
Presented by:
Dr. Mary Hobbs, P.I. and Amy Moreland, M.S.
The University of Texas at Austin
Purpose of the StudyPurpose of the Study
• This study focuses on experienced teachers in an
attempt to identify factors that may have contributed
to their professional growth and retention.
• The purpose of this research is to identify those
pivotal experiences of career science teachers that
have promoted their advancement along the teacher
professional continuum and have helped them to
persist in their careers.
ChallengesChallenges
• Much of the recent education research has focused on new teachers and why large numbers of teachers are leaving the profession.
• Few studies have focused on experienced teachers in an attempt to identify factors that may have contributed to their professional growth and retention.
Research QuestionsResearch Questions
• What are those impacting events that contribute to teacher’s overall sense of empowerment?
• What professional growth experiences do teachers recall as having a positive and pivotal impact on their empowerment?
• Is there a pattern to the experiences that is common to all empowered career science teachers?
Research QuestionsResearch Questions
• What, if any, is the relationship between the Empowerment Cycle as proposed by Hobbs (2004) and those pivotal professional development experiences?
• What are some implications for professional development for pre-service teachers? For new teachers? For mid-career teachers? For master teachers?
• Assuming that teachers reach a critical point in their careers around their ninth year, what professional development opportunities should be afforded them so that they can find the personal and professional fulfillment that they need to stay in the classroom?
TimelineTimeline
• Year One: Fifty career science teachers were
interviewed using Behavior over Time (BOT)
graphing techniques.
• Year Two: Conduct regional focus group
meetings with the teachers who were interviewed
in Year 1. Survey instrument is developed and
piloted.
• Year Three: Online instrument is administered
to 250 teachers.
MethodologyMethodology
The teachers begin by telling their stories and drawing a behavior over time (BOT) graph which chronicles their experiences of empowerment
Subsequently each constructs an overlay graph showing his/her perceptions of experiences with the dimensions of empowerment
Definition of EmpowermentDefinition of Empowerment
The opportunity and confidence to
act upon one’s ideas and to
influence the way one performs in
one’s profession. - Melenyzer (1990)
Six Dimensions of Teacher Empowerment
- Short (1992)
Six Dimensions of Teacher Empowerment
- Short (1992)
• Autonomy• Decision Making• Impact• Professional Growth• Self-efficacy• Status
• Autonomy• Decision Making• Impact• Professional Growth• Self-efficacy• Status
AnalysesAnalyses
Changes and patterns on the graphs are identified and associated with key events in the teachers’ lives
The techniques of Narrative Inquiry and Systems Dynamics are employed to show connections and interactions
Empowerment Model 2
Maturing Feelings of Autonomy
Naive Feelings of Freedom Opportunities for Decision-making Impact
Arena of Organizational EmpowermentArena of Organizational Empowerment
Confidence Self-efficacy Evidence of Student Success Status
Increasingly Targeted Professional Growth
Arena of Personal EmpowermentArena of Personal Empowerment
Professional Development
Fueling ProcessPersonal Maturity
Qualitative AnalysesQualitative Analyses
• Atlas TI Qualitative Analysis Software• Imported and Coded 50 transcripts• Compared Transcripts
Transcript
Codes
CodeFrequency
VisualCodingDisplay
Results: Phases of EmpowermentResults: Phases of Empowerment
• Phase 1: Initiating Empowerment
• Phase 2: Increasing Empowerment
• Phase 3: Sustaining Empowerment
ResultsResults• During the Initiating Phase (Years 1-3) teachers recalled
struggling with their lack of preparation yet growing in confidence as they practiced their craft in their classrooms.
• During the Increasing Phase (Years 4-8) teachers recalled becoming more aware of professional development opportunities.
• During the Sustaining Phase (Years 9+) these teachers saw learning as a lifelong process.
• By Year 9 the teachers’ graphs all showed a leveling of empowerment, indicating different professional development needs for the most mature teachers.
• The study advances understanding of what kinds of PD experiences are most empowering for teachers at various stages of their careers.
• The study advances understanding of what kinds of PD experiences are most empowering for teachers at various stages of their careers.
Contribution to Science EducationContribution to Science Education
Implication of the StudyImplication of the Study
The most effective professional development offerings would target teacher needs and interests as influenced by the three phases of empowerment.
Researcher Contact InformationResearcher Contact Information
Mary E. Hobbs, Ph.D.Coordinator for Science Initiatives
Texas Regional CollaborativesUniversity of Texas at [email protected]
James P. Barufaldi, Ph.D.Principal Investigator
Texas Regional CollaborativesUniversity of Texas at Austin
Amy L. Moreland, M.S.Graduate Research AssistantUniversity of Texas at Austin