Provided by Institute of Education EPrints
Evidence-Based Professional Development of Science Teachers in
Two Countries
Abstract
The focus of this collaborative research project of King’s College London, and the
Weizmann Institute, Israel. project is on investigating the ways in which teachers can
demonstrate accomplished teaching in a specific domain of science and on the teacher
learning that is generated through continuing professional development programs
(CPD) that lead towards such practice. The interest lies in what processes and inputs
are required to help secondary school science teachers develop expertise in a specific
aspect of science teaching. 'It focuses on the design of the CPD programmes and
examines the importance of an evidence-based approach through portfolio-
construction in which professional dialogue pathes the way for teacher learning. The
set of papers highlight the need to set professional challenge while tailoring CPD to
teachers’ needs to create the environment in which teachers can advance and
transform their practice. The cross-culture perspective added to the richness of the
development and enabled the researchers to examine which aspects were fundamental
to the design by considering similarities and differences between the domains.