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Although data modeling, the tudents first exposure to concepts). Knowing the challenges
employment of statistical reasoning science education is gener- of elementary science education, we
for the purpose of investigating ally through their elementary designed a curriculum that would pro-
questions about the world, is school teacher. Unfortunate- vide preservice teachers opportunities
central to both mathematics and ly, elementary school teachers are to experience practices and crosscut-
science, it is rarely emphasized not typically science majors in col- ting concepts while working with sci-
in K16 instruction. The current lege, and this lack of content back- ence content. This type of experience
work focuses on developing ground often makes many feel helps teachers develop the skills they
thinking about data modeling with unprepared to teach science (Fuen- need to include content in ways that
undergraduates in general and tes, Bloom, & Peace, 2014; Howitt, students can understand (Barnett &
preservice teachers in particular. 2007; McLaughlin, 2015; Mulhol- Hodson, 2001). We believe science
Subjects were 125 undergraduate land & Wallace, 1994). Anderson and teachers and their students need to
preservice teachers (118 females) Mitchener (1994) and Baumgartner experience science as an epistemic
from a highly selective, nationally (2010) found that elementary teach- endeavor, meaning that doing and
recognized teacher education ers have a superficial understanding knowing synergistically guides a
program. A design-based research of science content and the nature of students learning of science (Lehrer
methodology was used, and science or how science is conducted. & Schauble, 2015).
data analysis took the form of At the same time, elementary sci- The current study is aimed at
retrospective, cross-iteration ence teachers have a substantial in- developing undergraduate and there-
comparisons where themes of the fluence on their students attitudes fore preservice teacher thinking
design of inquiry, measurement, toward science (Baumgartner, 2010; about data modeling. Data model-
deficit model of experimentation, Fones, Wagner, & Caldwell, 1999; ing is a description of the way data
and epistemology and nature of Vail Lowery, 2002). These findings is organized. In the past, teachers
science emerged. Our findings collectively suggest that quality sci- were expected to teach science
are relevant to those who seek ence teacher education courses are from the ideas of science as rea-
ways to support undergraduate important for providing future teach- soning and science as conceptual
understanding of statistical ers with a solid science education change; however, with the introduc-
reasoning as well as making a foundation. tion of NGSS, teachers now need
contribution to the challenging With states adopting the Next Gen- to incorporate science as practice
problem of how to support and eration Science Standards (NGSS), (Lehrer & Schauble, 2015). NGSS
integrate preservice teachers there is more emphasis now on the integrates eight practices of science:
coordination of data modeling need for elementary teachers to teach questioning; developing and using
and inquiry into their pedagogical science content and process. In accor- models; designing and conducting
practice. dance with the NGSS, students sci- investigations; using data; using
ence education should operate at the computational thinking; constructing
nexus of three dimensions: practices, explanations; using argument from
crosscutting concepts, and disciplin- evidence; and obtaining, evaluat-
ary core ideas (NGSS Lead States, ing, and communicating information
2013). Preservice teachers need to be (NGSS Lead States, 2013). All of
provided with science experiences to these practices are part of the cur-
help them build an understanding of riculum the preservice teachers en-
disciplinary core ideas and practices acted during this research. Without a
of science and to connect ideas across solid understanding of how to gather
science disciplines (crosscutting data and the variability of data, it is
Findings
The findings are organized around the
determine categories (Table 1). We
included some overall data for each
category and interview excerpts.
Design of inquiry
The primary type of inquiry the pre-
service teachers used is experimenta-
tion. For example, Cynthia explained
her approach to inquiry:
problem of how to scaffold students University, August 79, 2013. We thank Journal of College Science Teaching,
coordination of data with inquiry. the many preservice mathematics and 43(3), 3035.
Without a firm grasp of data mod- science students who participated in this Henderson, C., Finkelstein, N.,
eling, preservice teachers (and we work and appreciate the comments and & Beach, A. (2010). Beyond
argue all undergraduates) will have suggestions of three anonymous review- dissemination in college science
improvised ideas of measurement, ers. Special thanks to Jennifer Cook for teaching: An introduction to four
representation and display of data, manuscript editing and proofreading. core change strategies. Journal of
the structure of data, and statistical The views expressed do not necessarily College Science Teaching, 39(5),
inference. Our position concerning reflect those of the funding agencies. 1825.
teacher preparation specifically, and Howitt, C. (2007). Preservice
undergraduate education in general, References elementary teachers perceptions
is that well-developed subject matter Anderson, R. D., & Mitchener, C. P. of factors in an holistic methods
knowledge is vital for effective inte- (1994). Research on science teacher course influencing their confidence
grated STEM instruction. education. In D. Gabel (Ed.), in teaching science. Research in
The current work shows the im- Handbook of research on science Science Education, 37, 4158.
portance of preservice teachers expe- teaching and learning (pp. 344). Johnson, H. L. (2016). Quantitative
riencing the process of data modeling New York, NY: MacMillan. reasoning in mathematics education:
to best prepare them for thinking more Barnett, J., & Hodson, D. (2001). Directions in research and practice.
critically about topics such as inte- Pedagogical context knowledge: In R. A. Duschl & A. Bismack
gration, inquiry, measurement, and Toward a fuller understanding of (Eds.), Reconceptualizing STEM
experiment in elementary classrooms. what good science teachers know. education: The central role of
We also believe these findings will be Science Education, 85, 426453. practices (pp. 149166). London,
informative for calls seeking reform Baumgartner, E. (2010). Thinking England: Routledge.
in the more general undergraduate outside the kit: Building preservice Lehrer, R., & Schauble, L. (2004).
curriculum (Henderson, Finkelstein, science teachers inquiry skills with Modeling natural variation through
& Beach, 2010). Preparing future an experiment that doesnt go as distribution. American Educational
teachers is only part of the changes planned. Journal of College Science Research Journal, 41, 635679.
that need to be made to meet the Teaching, 40(1), 5457. Lehrer, R., & Schauble, L. (2015). The
expectations within the Framework Brown, A. L. (1992). Design development of scientific thinking.
(National Research Council, 2012) experiments: Theoretical and In R. M. Lerner (Ed.), Handbook of
and NGSS. Professional development methodological challenges in child psychology and developmental
needs to be implemented for in- creating complex interventions in science (pp. 144). New York, NY:
service teachers, as well as a network classroom settings. Journal of the Wiley.
of support for teachers, as they are Learning Sciences, 2, 141178. Lehrer, R., Schauble, L., Strom, D., &
shifting their pedagogical practices. Duschl, R. (2008). Science education Pligge, M. (2001). Similarity of form
Along with this same idea, more re- in three-part harmony: Balancing and substance: Modeling material
search needs to be done to determine conceptual, epistemic, and social kind. In S. M. Carver & D. Klahr
how teachers need to be assisted in learning goals. Review of research in (Eds.), Cognition and instruction:
meeting the expectations of science education, 32, 268291. Twenty-five years of progress (pp.
education under the NGSS. The entire Duschl, R. A., & Bismack, A. S. (2016). 3974). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
system of educators and administra- Reconceptualizing STEM education: McLaughlin, D. (2015). Investigating
tors needs to understand what changes The central role of practices. preservice teachers self-efficacy
should be implemented for successful London, England: Routledge. through Saturday science. Journal
adoption. Fones, S. W., Wagner, J. R., & of College Science Teaching, 45(1),
Caldwell, E. R. (1999). Promoting 7783.
Acknowledgments attitude adjustments in science for Mulholland, M. J., & Wallace, J.
Portions of this research were funded in preservice elementary teachers. (1994). Knowing and learning about
part by the National Science Foundation Journal of College Science Teaching, science in a preservice setting: A
(REC-9973004; MSP 0831811) and 28(4), 231236. narrative study. Research in Science
the James S. McDonnell Foundation Fuentes, S. Q., Bloom, M. A., & Peace, Education, 24, 236245.
(JMSF-97-10). An earlier version of this H. (2014). Teaching science and National Research Council. (2007).
article was presented at the Waterbury mathematics: Preservice teachers Taking science to school: Learning
Summit, The Pennsylvania State perceptions of knowledge needs. and teaching science in grades