Coding Teachers in Science Classrooms using the Inquiry Science Observation Guide

1. Coding Teachers in Science Classrooms using the Inquiry Science Observation Guide Alice K. H. Taum Curriculum Research & Development GroupUniversity of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

2. Inquiry Science Observation Guide • Introduction and Overview • FAST, SCUP Project, Purpose and Development of ISOG • General coding guidelines • Descriptions for each of the six Activities • Definitions of Activity details • Code Sheet • Recording Sheet • Reconciling Recording Sheet

3. Development of the Code Sheet • 1.5 year process • Collaborative efforts between researchers at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Stanford University and Sonoma State University; FAST teachers; curriculum developers, and coders • 36+ revisions

4. Goal of the Code Sheet • Identify strings of activities/teacher behaviors using the details in columns A, B, C and D. • questioning strategies used • level of engagement between teacher and students • creating a profile of teachers implementation of FAST in the classroom through science inquiry

5. Design of the Code Sheet • 6 activities. • 66 possible activity details to plug into the 6 activities. • Multiple variations between an activity and the activity details which describe an activity string of teachers pedagogical practices.

6. 1. Teacher directs student(s) _____A_______ to _____B_____ _____C_____.

7. 1. Teacher directs student(s) _____A_____ to _____B___________C_____. 1. Teacher directs student(s) individually (1A1) to discuss (1B2) procedures (1C3).

8. Inquiry Science Observation Recording Sheet • Notes the start time of when the “broader” and “otheractivities” a teacher is engaged in begins • Allows for comments to facilitate the reconciliation process • Designed to record multiple activities occurring at the same time

9. Broader and Other Activities • The broader activity captures the larger activity occurring: Through interactive questioning (2A2b), the teacher introduces or provides an overview of (2B1) science investigation (2C4). • The other activities capture the details occurring within the broader activity: Teacher questions students through clarifying (3A1a) questioning and responds to student comment (3B1) by repeating (3C2) the comment and probing further (3C6).

11. Reconciling Codes • Two coders are paired to compare their independent codings, identifying any differences between them. • Differences are then discussed and each coder provides a rationale for his or her selected code. • When necessary, a review of the DVD is conducted by the paired coders. • Coding differences are discussed until consensus is reached between coders.

12. Inquiry Science Observation Reconciling Code Sheet

13. Challenges • greatest challenges: • establishing universal definitions for terms and phrases • What constitutes a “procedure”? • What is the difference between a science “term” and a science “concept”? • standardizing the recording of activity strings using the Recording Sheet • broader verses other activities • focusing on the teacher, rather than on the students

14. What Next? • To date we have: • videotaped 15 teachers; • 140 videotape cassettes have been digitized to DVDs; • 116 have been quality-checked for audio clarity and teacher visibility; and • 8 coders are trained and ready to begin coding!