Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Subject, Relationships and Identity: The Role of a Science Department in the Professional Learning of a Non-University Science Educated Teacher

  • Published:
Research in Science Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article employs the concept of community to interpret teacher professional learning in the context of the school science department. Using the transcripts of staff meetings, lesson observations and the conversations of school administrators, the departmental community is examined in terms of three metaphors: subject, relationships and identity. In an era of a rapidly changing science teacher demographic, the article highlights potential differences in professional learning opportunities between teachers who are university educated in science and those without a science background. The research raises three issues for the science education community to address.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Australian Science Teachers’ Association (2002). Response from the Australian Science Teachers’ Association to the Department of Education, Science and Technology Discussion Paper, Strategies to attract and retain teachers of science, technology and mathematics. Retrieved 15 October, 2005 from http://www.dest.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/18685747-F9D8-4199-A0E4-D5C15CE7000D/1785/RTTE55.pdf.

  • Bruner, J. (1986). Actual minds, possible worlds. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

  • Bush, T. (1997). Collegial models in organisational effectiveness. In A. Harris, N. Bennett, & M. Preedy (Eds.), Organisational effectiveness and improvement in education (pp. 68–79). Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Committee for the Review of Teaching and Teacher Education (2003). Australia’s teachers, Australias future. Canberra, ACT: Department of Education, Science and Training.

    Google Scholar 

  • Connelly, F. M., & Clandinin, D. J. (Eds.). (1999). Shaping a professional identity. New York: Teachers College Press.

  • Czarniawska, B. (2004). Narrative in social science research. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feiman-Nemser, S. (1990). Teacher preparation: Structural and conceptual alternatives. Retreived 14, October 2005 from http://ncrtl.msu.edu/http/ipapers/html/pdf/ip953.pdf.

  • Goodrum, D., Hackling, M., & Rennie, L. (2001). The status and quality of teaching and learning of science in Australian schools. Canberra, ACT: Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gulledge, S. A. (1998). Before and after pictures: The makeover of professional relationships through PDS collaboration. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, San Diego, California.

  • Gusfield, J. R. (1975). Community: A critical response. New York: Harper & Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris, A., Bennett, N., & Preedy, M. (Eds.). (1997). Organisational effectiveness and improvement in education. Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.

  • Harris, K., Jensz, F., & Baldwin, G. (2005). Who’s teaching science? Meeting the demand for qualified for science teachers in Australian secondary schools. Retrieved 3 October, 2005 from www.acds.edu.au.

  • Hargreaves, D. H. (2000). The knowledge creating school. In B. Moon, J. Butcher, & E. Bird (Eds.), Leading professional development in education (pp. 224–240). London: Falmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huberman, M. (1990). The model of an independent artisan in teachers’ professional relations. In J. W. Little & M. W. McLaughlin (Eds.), Teachers’ work (pp. 11–50). New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ingvarson, L. (2002). Building a learning profession. Commissioned Research Series-Paper Number 1. Canberra, ACT: Australian College of Educators.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loewenberg Ball, D., & Mosenthal, J. H. (1990). The construction of new forms of teaching: Subject matter knowledge in inservice teacher education. Retrieved 14 October, 2005 from http://ncrtl.msu.edu/http/rreports/html/pdf/rr908.pdf.

  • Loucks-Horsley, S., Hewson, P. W., Love, N., & Stiles, K. E. (1998). Designing professional development for teachers of mathematics and science. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayer-Smith, J. (2003). The experience and challenges of teacher leadership in learning technology reform for science education. In J. Wallace & J. Loughran (Eds.), Leadership and professional development in science education: New possibilities for enhancing teacher learning (pp. 81–98). London & New York: Routledge Falmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCullough, G., Helsby, G., & Knight, P. (2000). The politics of professionalism. London: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2003). Education at a glance: OECD indicators (2003 ed.). Paris: Centre for Educational Research and Innovation, OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  • Polkinghorne, D. E. (1995). Narrative configuration in qualitative analysis. In J. A. Hatch & R. Wisniewski (Eds.), Life history and narrative (pp. 5–24). London: Falmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scribner, J. P. (1998). A qualitative analysis of teacher professional learning and teacher work in urban high schools. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, California.

  • Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. New York: Currency Doubleday.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shulman, L. S. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siskin, L. S. (1994). Realms of knowledge: Academic departments in secondary schools. London: Falmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Maanen, J., & Barley, S. R. (1984). Occupational communities: Culture and control in organizations. Research in Organisational Behaviour, 6, 287–365.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallace, J. (2003). Learning about teacher learning: Reflections of a science educator. In J. Wallace & J. Loughran (Eds.), Leadership and professional development in science education: New possibilities for enhancing teacher learning. (pp. 1–16). London & New York: Routledge Falmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallace, J., & Louden, W. (2000). Teachers’ learning: Stories of science education. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning and identity. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wildy, H., & Wallace, J. (2004). Science as content, science as context: Working in the science department. Educational Studies, 30(2), 99–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wayne Melville.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Melville, W., Wallace, J. Subject, Relationships and Identity: The Role of a Science Department in the Professional Learning of a Non-University Science Educated Teacher. Res Sci Educ 37, 155–169 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-006-9020-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-006-9020-y

Key words

Navigation