Teacher confidence and classroom practices: a case study on science identity

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between students' science identity and their teacher's science teacher identity, as well as the influence of teacher confidence and understanding of Next Generation Science Standards and three-dimensional science teaching and learning on science teacher identity. Teacher and student surveys were used to evaluate correlation, while observations and interviews were used to understand the relationship between teacher confidence and science teacher identity. Results showed that there is little correlation between strong science teacher identity and strong student science identity, but there is a relationship between teachers' understanding of Next Generation science teaching and learning and overall science teacher identity. Teachers who have a solid background in science content knowledge and science pedagogy, especially three-dimensional science teaching based on the framework for the Next Generation Science Standards, tend to better see themselves as science teachers.