Videos as an Instructional Tool in Pre-service Science Teacher Education

Problem Statement: Student teaching is an integral part of teacher education. While it provides pre-service teachers with real classroom experience, though, it is limited in that it does not provide shared experience. Used as instructional tools, videos provide a shared common experience in a controlled environment to pre-service teachers in teacher education. Video use as a part of teacher education requires that student teachers be skilled in observation and ability to notice. However, in many cases, pre-service teachers' observation skills and ability to discern the effects of different strategies are neither questioned nor investigated. Purpose of Study: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of video use on pre-service teachers' ability to observe and evaluate teaching practices and explore how that ability develops. Methods: This study was conducted with the participation of 26 senior preservice science and technology teachers who were enrolled in a teacher practice course during the fall semester of their fourth-year undergraduate education program. Three different videos were used as instructional tools; participating pre-service teachers were asked to evaluate the teaching practice in each video. A three-item questionnaire was used for data collection purposes. Findings and Results: The findings of the study suggest that, initially, preservice teachers failed to notice details and were only partially able to recognize the main features of a teaching practice. Most participant comments focused on what the teacher was doing rather than on students. As time progressed, participants' ability to notice instructional strategies was found to be developed through use of videos. Conclusions and Recommendations: Through use of videos, pre-service teachers' selective attention and ability to perceive details of a teaching practice was found to be improved. Since the ability to notice is an important skill for novice teachers, based on the finding of this study, video use is recommended as a part of teacher education.

PDF

___

American Association for the Advancements of Science (1993). Benchmarks for scientific literacy. New York: Oxford University Press.
Beck, R. J., King, A. & Marshall, S. K. (2002). Effects of videocase construction on preservice teachers' observations of teaching. The Journal of Experimental Education, 70(4), 345-361.
Berliner, D. C., Stein, P., Sabers, D. S., Clarridge, P.B., Cushing, K.S., & Pinnegar, S. (1988). Implications of reserch on pedagogical expertise and experience in mathematics teaching. In D. A. Grouws & T. J. Cooney (Eds.), Perspectives on research on effective mathematics teaching (pp. 67-95). Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Brophy, J. (Eds.).(2004). Using video in teacher education. Amsterdam: Elsevier. Brunvand, S. & Fishman, B. (2007). Investigating the impact of the availability of scaffolds on preservice teacher noticing and learning from video. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 35(2), 151-174.
DeMonner, S. & Espinosai R. (1998). SLATE: Space for learning and teaching exploration. (ERIC ED 427696)
Madsen, K. & Cassidy, J. W. (2005). The effect of focus of attention and teaching experience on perceptions of teaching effectiveness and student learning. Journal of Research in Music Education, 53(3), 222-233.
Marsh, B.; Mitchell, N. & Adamczyk, P. (2010). Interactive video technology: Enhancing professional learning in initial teacher education. Computers & Education, 54, 742-748.
Menirovsky, R. & Galvis, A. (2004). Facilitating grounded online interactions in video-case-based teacher professional development. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 13(1), 67-79.
Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı [MEB]. (1998). Öğretmen adaylarinin milli eğitim bakanliğina bağli eğitim öğretim kurumlarindan yapacaklari öğretmenlik uygulamasina ilişkin yönerge. Tebliğler Dergisi (2493). Retrieved June 2010, from URL:http://tkb.meb.gov.tr/Yonerge/%C3%96%C4%9Fretmen%20adaylar %C4%B1n%C4%B1n%20e%C4%9Fitim%20kurumlar%C4%B1nda%20yapac aklar%C4%B1%20%C3%B6%C4%9Fretmenlik%20uyg.ili%C5%9Fkin%20y% C3%B6nerge.htm
Mitchell, N., Marsh, B., Hobson, A. J., & Sorenson, P. (2008). Bringing theory to life? Findings from the evaluation of the University of Sussex In-School Teacher Education Programme (InSTEP). In Paper presented at British Educational Research Association annual conference, Edin burgh.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2000). Principals ans standards for school mathematics. Reston, VA.
Oonk, W., Goffree, F. & Verloop, N. (2004). For the enrichment of practical knowledge: good practice and usefull theory for future primary teachers. In J. Brophy (Ed.), Using video in teacher education. (1-27). Amsterdam: Elsevier. Sherin, M. G. (2004). New perspectives on the role of video in teacher education. In J.
Brophy (Ed.), Using video in teacher education. (1-27). Amsterdam: Elsevier. Sherin, M. G. & Han, S. Y. (2004). Teacher learning in the context of a video club. Teacher and Teacher Education, 20, 163-183.
Sherin, M. G. & van Es, E. A. (2005). Using video to support teachers' ability to notice classroom interactions. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 13(3), 475-491.
Sherin, M. G. & van Es, E. A. (2009). Effects of video club participation on teachers' professional vision. Journal of Teacher Education, 60(1), 20-37.
Star, J. R. & Strickland, S. K.. (2008). Learning to observe:using video to improve preservice mathematics teachers' ability to notice. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 11, 107-125.
Stephens, L., C., (2004). Designin and developing a video-case based interactive program for english language arts teacher preparation. In J. Brophy (Ed.), Using video in teacher education. (1-27). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
van Es. E. A, & Sherin, M. G. (2002). Learning to notice: Scaffolding new teachers' interpretations of classroom interactions. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 10(4), 571-596.
YOK (2006). Aday öğretmen klavuzu [Prospective teachers guide]. Retrieved June 2009, from http://www.yok.gov.tr/content/view/498/lang,tr/.