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

Sample Empowerment GraphSample Empowerment Graph

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

EmpowermentModel 1

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.

Online Empowerment Survey Example

Online Empowerment Survey Example

Online Empowerment Survey Example

Online Empowerment Survey Example

• 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 Austinmaryhobbs@mail.utexas.edu

James P. Barufaldi, Ph.D.Principal Investigator

Texas Regional CollaborativesUniversity of Texas at Austin

jamesb@mail.utexas.edu

Amy L. Moreland, M.S.Graduate Research AssistantUniversity of Texas at Austin

amy_moreland@mail.utexas.edu