Baker, D. R., Lewis, E. B., Purzer, S., Watts, N. B., Perkins, G., Uysal, S., Wong, S., Beard, R., & Lang, M. (2009). The Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CISIP): A project to enhance scientific literacy through the creation of science classroom discourse communities. International Journal of Environmental & Science Education, 4(3), 259-274.
The authors of this qualitative empirical research study explored the impact of the Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CISIP) on teachers and students in the classroom with regards to scientific literacy. The authors measured the effect that professional development and training for teachers had on promoting literacy in the science classroom through the creation of a classroom discourse community.
The participants were middle and high school students and teachers, some of who attended the CISIP institute during the summer. This institute was designed as professional development training for teachers, in order for them to gain knowledge about the nature of science communication (NOS). They were given knowledge regarding skills required to create a scientific classroom discourse community in order to promote scientific literacy. Teachers who had participated in the professional development program were more likely to implement CISIP learning strategies in the classroom to create a scientific classroom discourse community, especially those teachers who had participated for more than one year. Data were also collected on students of these teachers and results showed their students were becoming more scientifically literate through the practices implemented by these teachers in the classroom, as compared with students of teachers not having attended the training.
The results of this study demonstrate the importance of professional development for educators to increase the promotion of literacy in the science classroom. Educators who are able to identify important aspects of scientific literacy by participating in professional development are more likely to employ effective methods of teaching literacy in the science classroom.
The authors of this qualitative empirical research study explored the impact of the Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CISIP) on teachers and students in the classroom with regards to scientific literacy. The authors measured the effect that professional development and training for teachers had on promoting literacy in the science classroom through the creation of a classroom discourse community.
The participants were middle and high school students and teachers, some of who attended the CISIP institute during the summer. This institute was designed as professional development training for teachers, in order for them to gain knowledge about the nature of science communication (NOS). They were given knowledge regarding skills required to create a scientific classroom discourse community in order to promote scientific literacy. Teachers who had participated in the professional development program were more likely to implement CISIP learning strategies in the classroom to create a scientific classroom discourse community, especially those teachers who had participated for more than one year. Data were also collected on students of these teachers and results showed their students were becoming more scientifically literate through the practices implemented by these teachers in the classroom, as compared with students of teachers not having attended the training.
The results of this study demonstrate the importance of professional development for educators to increase the promotion of literacy in the science classroom. Educators who are able to identify important aspects of scientific literacy by participating in professional development are more likely to employ effective methods of teaching literacy in the science classroom.