Learning about Teachers’ Accomplishment in ‘Learning Skills for Science’ Practice: The use of portfolios in an evidence‐based continuous professional development programme

Abstract

The study in this paper was carried out in the framework of an evidence‐based continuous professional development (CPD) programme in which teachers documented evidence about their practice in a portfolio. The context of the CPD was related to the ‘Learning Skills for Science’ (LSS) programme, which advocates the incorporation of high‐order learning skills and capabilities into science school curricula, in addition to content knowledge. The LSS comprises high‐order scientific communication skills such as information retrieval, scientific reading, scientific writing, listening and observing, information representation, and knowledge presentation. The main goal was to study what can be learned from evidence‐based portfolios about teachers’ LSS practice. More specifically we studied the dimensions and levels of teachers’ practice, the profiles of teachers’ accomplishment, and their ability to present evidence about their practice. We analysed 12 teachers’ portfolios (34 pieces of evidence) using a diagnostic tool that reflected the various dimensions of teachers’ accomplishment in LSS practice: P: Perceptions of LSS instruction; M: Model of instruction; T: Using learning materials; A: Assessment; I: Influence in the school system; E: Evidence preparation. For each of these dimensions we identified a hierarchy of levels on a scale of 1–5. The diagnostic tool revealed diverse LSS multidimensional professional profiles which demonstrated strong and weak aspects in teachers’ performance. We concluded that evidence‐based portfolios about teachers’ practice can serve as tools for assessment of teachers’ accomplishment (for example, for accreditation purposes) and as an authentic resource for customising professional development programmes to the needs of individual teachers.