Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 11, Issue 1, Article 1 (Jun., 2010) Hakan AKCAY, Robert E. YAGER, Srini M. ISKANDER, & Halil TURGUT Change in student beliefs about attitudes toward science in grades 6-9 Previous Contents Next

The Iowa Chautauqua Program

The Iowa Chautauqua Program (See Figure 1) which was supported by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) was developed in 1983 to study a teacher education model for stimulating reform in science classrooms. The program began in Iowa with 30 teachers enrolled in a program in one center for 230 teachers enrolled in five centers across the state during the two decades following its inception.  Over 9,000 teachers have been enrolled during last two decades.

The Chautauqua program identified six important domains for developing instructional goals and assessing successes in meeting them. They include;

1. Concept domain (mastering basic content constructs)

2. Process domain (learning skills scientists use as they seek answers to their questions about the natural world)

3. Application domain (using concepts and processes in new situations)

4. Creativity domain (improving quantity and quality of questions, explanations, and text for the validity of personal generated explanations)

5. Attitude domain (developing more positive feelings concerning the usefulness of science, science study, science teachers and science careers)

6. World View domain (how efforts in schools can assist students in understanding the nature of science and to practice the basic components such as questioning, explaining, and testing objects and events in the natural world (Enger & Yager 1998, Yager & Akcay, 2007,2008).

A major aim of the Chautauqua Program has been to counter the typical and continuous decline in positiveattitudes toward science associated with more years of schooling. Attitudes can serve both as an outcome of science learning (a dependent variable) and as a factor which affects learning (an independent variable). The attitude domain includes:

• Development of more positive students attitude toward science in general
• Development of positive attitudes toward oneself (an “I can do it” attitude)
• Development of sensitivity to, and respect for, the feeling of other people
• Expression of personal feelings in a constructive way
• Exploration of human emotions (in science)
• Decision-making about personal values
• Decision-making about social and environmental issues (Enger & Yager, 2001,2009).

Figure 1: The IOWA CHAUTAUQUA MODEL: A Professional Development Model as Approved by the National Diffusion Network

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE A Two Week Long Conference Designed To 1. Prepare staff team for conducting a workshop series which follows for 30 new teachers. a) One lead teacher per ten new teachers b) Scientist from a variety of disciplines c) Scientists from industry d) Administrators e) Science Supervisors/Coordinators as chair of staff teams 2. Organization and scheduling for each workshop 3. Publicity and reporting 4. Assessment strategies a) Six domains b) Use of reports c) Active Research (Every teacher as researcher) d) New research plans for Lead Teachers

THREE OR FOUR WEEK SUMMER WORKSHOP STS Experiences 1. Includes special activities and field experiences that relate specific content within the disciplines of biology, chemistry, earth science, and physics. 2. Makes connections between science, technology, society within the context of real world issues. 3. Issues such as air quality, water quality, land use/management are used as the context for concept and process skills development. 4. Every staff member and every teacher participant selects an action and completes at least one Action Research Project. 5. Plan for continuing Action Research in the classroom over the next academic year. 6. Complete several videotapes of teaching experiences with both self and group analyses.

ACADEMIC YEAR WORKSHOP SERIES
Fall Short Course      ->	Interim Projects    ->	Spring Short Course
(3 days)		(3 days)

Awareness Workshop	Three Month Interim Project	Final Workshop
20 hr Instructional Block(Thursday pm. Friday, & Saturday)	The STS Module	20 hr Instructional Block (Thursday pm. Friday, & Saturday)
Activities Include: Review problems with traditional views of science and science teaching Outline essence of STS Define techniques for developing STS modules and assessing their effectiveness Select a tentative module topic Practice with specific assessment tools in each STS Domain. Use Lesson Study designs Analysis one videotape of Middle Class	Activities Include: Developing instructional plan for minimum of twenty days Administer pretests in five domains Teach STS module Collect posttest information Communicate with regional staff, Lead Teachers, and central Chautauqua staff Complete and analysis one class videotape with colleagues from given sites	Activities Include: Report on STS experience Report on assessment efforts Interact on new information concerning STS Show one videotape of classes Analyze changes from summer, fall, and spring Plan for involvement in professional meetings Plan for next-step STS initiatives (including complete reorganizing of existing courses)

 

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