This document proposes a professional development program for Ocean Discovery Institute that focuses on the Nature of Science. It summarizes research on effective professional development strategies and how teaching the Nature of Science can benefit both students and teachers. The proposed program would train teachers on the Nature of Science through communities of practice, modeling scientific practices, and emphasizing the Nature of Science in their curriculum and lessons. This aims to increase scientific literacy and better support English language learners. The proposal acknowledges limitations but provides multiple strategies that could be modified to suit Ocean Discovery Institute's needs.

1. S
Professional Development for Ocean
Discovery Institute
By Steven Torres

2. S Introduction: For my Senior Internship Project, I was assigned to
research what findings there have been to create a successful
Professional Development program, and what program models
are successful in their practices in order to come up with a
possible proposal which Ocean Discovery Institute could
potentially use for implementation in their own Professional
Development program
S Abstract: My Proposal is that the Nature of Science could be
used to give teachers and therefore students, a better
understanding of science in the classroom. Implementing the
Nature of Science for a classroom with English Language
Learners is possible if various strategies are considered which
not only help students and teachers, but improve Professional
Development for Ocean Discovery Institute. My proposed
strategies aren’t perfect, but are open to modification according
to Ocean Discovery Institute’s circumstances if Ocean Discovery
Institute sees my proposal to be useful.

3. S Methods: My research used the 3 pronged approach, which 1st
involved Investigative Literature as the research material,
finding successful Active Models for Professional Development,
and Internal Evaluation of research to find useful information
for Ocean Discovery Institute.
Goals Evaluation
Metrics &
Tools
3x
Researc
h
Strategy Component
s
Implementation
or Pilot
Evaluation

4. Findings: The Nature of
Science
S What is the Nature of Science? - The processes
and beliefs by which scientists do their work
and approach problems.
S Considered a prerequisite for Scientific Literacy
by the American Association for the
Advancement of Science (AAAS)
S Part of Project 2061, a long-term initiative of the
American Association for the Advancement of
Science (AAAS) to help all Americans become
literate in science, mathematics, and
technology.

5. Basic Aspects of the Nature of
Science
The Scientific World View
S The World Is Understandable
S Scientific Ideas Are Subject To Change - Change in
knowledge is inevitable because new observations may
challenge prevailing theories
S Scientific Knowledge Is Durable - The modification of ideas
rather than rejection is the norm in science
S Science Cannot Provide Complete Answers to All Questions

6. Scientific Inquiry
S Science Demands Evidence – Evidence for a claim is
obtained by observations and measurements of the
natural world or in a lab.
S Science Is a Blend of Logic and Imagination –
Imagination and thought are what create a hypothesis or
theory. Logical reasoning is what tests its validity.
S Science Explains and Predicts – Theories can explain
current observations of phenomenon, and predict
phenomena not yet observed
S Scientists Try to Identify and Avoid Bias
S Science Is Not Authoritarian
The Scientific Enterprise

7. S It can shift the paradigm of how science is normally
taught, to a new framework which is better for the
education of students
S The Nature of Science makes students more aware of
how science works in reality
S Can debunk many misconceptions that teachers and
citizens have about science
S So how should Ocean Discovery Use it?
Why Should Ocean Discovery Use It?

8. English Language Learners
S Students who don’t speak English or are still learning English as a 2nd
language.
S The added challenge of still learning literacy skills for a classroom with
English Language Learners makes teaching science difficult.
S Teachers often focus on just content material, resulting in a “Poverty of
Pedagogy”, or low aspirations to teach better.
S One Solution: The Science Inquiry Planning Framework, by Science for
All Project

10. 4 Main Aspects Developed by the Science
Inquiry Planning Framework
S Language Functions - lessons which emphasized a certain
language function and provided corresponding developmental
activities to promote scientific practice
S Vocabulary Development - increasing scientific knowledge leads to
a more precise and specific vocabulary
S Multiple Representative Formats - providing ELL’s with
opportunities to communicate science through graphs, charts,
tables, and computer-developed simulations which reduced the
language load required to participate.
S Expository and Narrative Texts - students share their stories of
scientific activities at home and their shared experiences in the
school, providing insight for linking their activities to real world

12. S Research says English Language Learners should be
given a more positive school environment with inquiry
based practices, or allowing students time to think about
the questions given to them by teachers, integrating
literary strategies for communication outside of speaking,
classroom management changes that use student-
centered activities, and building relationships with the
teachers
S Mentors can explicitly outline each function as the
students follow the framework, and teachers can be
taught the Science Inquiry Planning Framework during
Professional Development to understand how the
students are learning science while developing English
literacy

13. Scientific Modeling
S A Simple system that reveals properties of a more complex
system (The aspects of the Nature of Science) that you wish to
understand better
S Inquiring Teachers’ Network (SMIT’N) prepared teachers to help
students develop models, formulate explanations and evaluate
data as described in the National Science Education Standards
(National Research Council)

14. S Classrooms can hold explicit discussions of how scientific
models are scientifically creative (Science is a blend of
Logic and Imagination) that come from data (Science
demands Evidence) and can change via reinterpretation
of that data or collection of new data (Scientific
Knowledge is Durable)

15. S Ocean Discovery Institute could take time outside of the
classroom to through every curriculum which has a Model to
represent the lesson taught in the classroom and discuss
with students the important aspects which are important
when thinking about the way science works and how
scientists do science
S Should help teachers conceptualize the ideas and provide
examples for how to emphasize the Nature of Science
within the context of scientific modeling.
S Fits well with the Science Inquiry Planning Framework as
giving Multiple Representative Formats

16. Communities of Practice
S Defined as ‘‘having common features such as meeting
regularly over an extended period of time, sharing
common values and goals, and engaging in collaboration
and critique of each other’s work’’
S An important concept used in many professional
development programs which help creates a well-
supported environment that facilitates teacher change
when paired with NOS modeling and explicit reflection

17. S In the Science EDUCATES
Program, the monthly
discussions of how
teachers were
incorporating NOS
provided many ‘‘teachable
moments’’ where
inadequate views could be
talked about in a safe
environment
S Teachers can take time to
discuss challenges and
their views with other
teachers and ODI staff
members to gain support
for changes in their
teaching practices

18. S Teachers are often resistant to change and may have
challenges understanding the Nature of Science, so a
Community of Practice is needed for teachers to be
personally motivated to increase scientific literacy, to
implement a new concept, to reflect on their personal views
of science, and rationalize for themselves why teaching the
Nature of Science is important.
S Monthly meetings would revolve around what the lessons
teach so the teachers are aware of our curriculum, but it
would also include what aspects of the Nature of Science
are emphasized in each lesson.

19. Discussion
S In order to implement any of these possible options,
extended training for Professional Development would be
recommended.
S It is very important to take the time to explain what the
NOS is, why it’s important for student leaning, which
aspects are taught in their classrooms, how these
aspects are taught in our curriculum, in what context they
are being used to teach the students, and, if possible, for
the teachers to take time to make a framework which
uses these aspects to reinforce other lessons they
believe are worth teaching to their students.

20. S A proposal such as this is still on shaky ground. All these
strategies that work together to implement the Nature of
Science is based on research on each individual subject
which I’ve connected together.
S All these findings may require further research before my
suggested strategies could be considered effective for
implementation.
S I proposed multiple strategies because I wished to give
several possibilities, which are open to modification in the
hopes that implementation of any strategy could be
possible with Ocean Discovery’s current circumstances.

21. Conclusion
S Ocean Discovery Institute has been successful in the past to
create students who are college bound with science majors,
and creating students with an interest in science at many grade
levels in a district (City Heights) with low-level income schools
and English Language Learners.
S I believe using the Nature of Science to teach students is one
possible idea to further Ocean Discovery’s success because it
gives an understanding of science which most students don’t
have, and implementing it at Ocean Discovery Institute means
the students will enjoy what they are learning as well.
S Teachers who are taught the Nature of Science during
Professional Development, as well as learning how to use it to
teach students, will also benefit in the long run.

22. Work Citation
S Abd-El-Khalick, F., & Lederman, N. G. (2000). Improving science
teachers' conceptions of nature of science: a critical review of the
literature. International journal of science education, 22(7), 665-
701.
S Abd-El-Khalick, Fouad, Randy L. Bell, and Norman G. Lederman.
"The nature of science and instructional practice: Making the
unnatural natural." Science Education 82.4 (1998): 417-436
S Akerson, V. L., Cullen, T. A., & Hanson, D. L. (2009). Fostering a
community of practice through a professional development
program to improve elementary teachers' views of nature of
science and teaching practice. Journal of Research in Science
Teaching, 46(10), 1090-1113.
S Johnson, C. C., & Marx, S. (2009). Transformative professional
development: A model for urban science education reform. Journal
of Science Teacher Education, 20(2), 113-134.
S Johnson, C. C. (2010). Effective professional development and
change in practice: Barriers science teachers encounter and
implications for reform. School Science and Mathematics, 106(3),
150-161

23. S Lederman, Judith S., et al. "Teaching and learning of nature of
science and scientific inquiry: building capacity through systematic
research-based professional development." Advances in Nature of
Science Research. Springer Netherlands, 2012. 125-152.
S National Science Teachers’ Association, “The Nature of Science”,
NSTA Position Statement adopted by the Board of NSTA, July
2000 www.nsta.org/about/positions/natureofscience.aspx
S [NRC] National Research Council. "National Science Education
Standards." (1996).
S Science for All Americans, Ch.1: The Nature of Science. The
American Association for the Advancement of Science, Copyright
1989,1990
http://www.project2061.org/publications/sfaa/online/chap1.htm
S Valarie L. Akerson, J. Scott Townsend, Lisa A. Donnelly, Deborah
L. Hanson, Praweena Tira, Orvil White. Scientific Modeling for
Inquiring Teachers Network (SMIT’N): The Influence on
Elementary Teachers’ Views of Nature of Science, Inquiry, and
Modeling, Journal of Science Teacher Education 20.1 (2009): 21-
40.
S Wenger,Etienne "Communities of practice: Learning as a social
system." Systems thinker 9.5 (1998):2-3.

24. Thanks for Listening!