"Supporting" beginning secondary science teachers through induction: a multi-case study of their meaning making and identities
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Angela W. Webb (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
- Advisor
- Heidi Carlone
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the induction experiences of beginning secondary science teachers, including their afforded and enacted identities-in-practice and their meaning making. I applied a model of identities and meaning making that considered the iterative nature of the (a) normative science teacher identities afforded by induction experiences and classroom science teaching (Cobb, Gresalfi, & Hodge, 2006; Carlone, Haun-Frank, & Webb, 2011), (b) identities enacted by the beginning secondary science teachers during their participation in induction experiences and classroom science teaching, and (c) meanings they constructed of their induction experiences and classroom science teaching. Data were collected during four beginning secondary science teachers' first year of teaching and included interviews, induction activity observations, professional learning community observations, mentor/mentee meeting observations, and teaching observations. The experiences of four beginning secondary science teachers were used to make the following arguments: First, these cases demonstrated that the beginning science teacher identities-in-practice afforded by induction supports centered mostly on policies and procedures, rather than quality instruction. Second, the beginning secondary science teachers tended to enact identities-in-practice focused on the transmission of information from their support providers to themselves. Participants' afforded and enacted identities-in-practice impacted, and were impacted by, the meanings each participant made of her induction experiences. Finally, the identities-in-practice afforded to and enacted by these beginning secondary science teachers as well as the meanings they made of their induction experiences can be used to understand the beginning science teacher identities-in-practice they enacted during their classroom science teaching. This study adds to previous science teacher induction literature by looking beyond whether the beginning secondary science teachers were retained to how they experienced their induction, who they were asked to be during their supports and teaching, and who, ultimately, they were in these contexts.
"Supporting" beginning secondary science teachers through induction: a multi-case study of their meaning making and identities
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Created on 8/1/2012
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Dissertation
- Language: English
- Date: 2012
- Keywords
- Identity, Induction
- Subjects
- Science teachers $x Training of $z United States $v Case studies
- Science $x Study and teaching (Secondary) $z United States $v Case studies
- First year teachers $z United States $v Case studies