Evaluation
Using reflexive journaling, teacher perceptions of the program, activities, and outcomes are captured on a monthly basis. These journals are reviewed at monthly participating teacher meetings to make assessments and adjustments to the program as needed. Using reflexive journaling, fellow perceptions are captured on a bi-weekly basis. These journals are reviewed at monthly joint team meetings to make assessments and adjustments to the program as needed. Student perceptions of the program have been captured through fellow interviews. Pretest/posttest assessment of fellow beliefs about their teaching efficacy in the classroom are being conducted using an adapted version of the Science Teacher Efficacy Belief Inventory (STEBI) instrument are being conducted. Pretest/posttest control group assessment of fellows and participating teachers’ beliefs about appropriate pedagogical methods for teaching chemistry to students are being conducted using an instrument called Science Teaching for Conceptual Understanding (STCU). Formative assessment of project concerns about the project will be collected using the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) model. Questions identified for use with this model include: What has been your biggest challenge as a Fellow/Teacher/Faculty Member/Senior personnel? What has been your biggest discovery of something new as a Fellow/Teacher/Faculty Member/Senior personnel this week/month/semester? What has been your biggest success as a Fellow/Teacher/Faculty Member/Senior personnel this week/month/semester? What is your biggest concern as a Fellow/Teacher/Faculty Member/Senior personnel as you begin thinking about next week/month/semester? If you could change one thing about this fellowship program, what would it be? To assess students’ beliefs about and perceptions of scientists, fellows and participating teachers are conducting the Draw-a-Scientist-Test (DAST) at the beginning of the year, during the year, and at the end of the year. To evaluate the overall classroom learning environment, the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) is being used with both students and fellows. A pretest/posttest design is being used with data being collected toward the beginning of the year and at the end of the year.