Curriculum Development as a Mechanism for Changing Science Faculty Knowledge and Beliefs About Teaching and Learning
The development of the curricula required that the higher education faculty delve into the research on how people learn, study state and national science education standards, and understand the complexities of constructivist-based curriculum, instruction, and assessment. This study describes changes in disciplinary science faculty that resulted from their participation in professional development, curriculum development, and curriculum implementation over a three year period. The study looked for evidence that these activities influenced faculty in three key areas: (1) Knowledge and beliefs about science teaching and learning; (2) Knowledge and beliefs about K12 teachers and teaching; and (3) Knowledge and beliefs about collaborative practices of effective groups. Participating faculty used pedagogical approaches consistent with their stated knowledge and beliefs in those areas based on classroom observations conducted with a research-based observation protocol. Evidence of institutional change initiated and implemented by the participating faculty provide further evidence of influence on participating faculty.
