Journal 2: Review

Title: An action research project on preparing teachers to meet the needs of underserved student populations.
The Author: Gayle A.Buck and Jeanene G.Cordes (University of Nebraska-Lincoln,NE,USA)
Journal of Science Teacher education (2005) vol16:43-64 Springer 2005

Abstract
The focus of this action research study was on the initial stage in reforming our teacher preparation programs. We designed, conducted, evaluated and revised the components of our teacher preparation programs that were aimed at providing preservice teachers with the confidence and knowledge needed to meet the needs of youth populations underserved in science education. The conceptual frame-work of this study predicted that providing preservice teachers with experiences in teaching science to at risk youth in a nonformal educational setting and that exploring these experiences in a seminar setting will increase the teachers; confidence and knowledge in regard to teaching science to children from underserved populations. The community-based experience allowed for an experience in which 20 preservice teachers taught in a situation in which at risk youth were the majority, thus spotlighting their need in manner traditionally not experienced by these prospective teachers. A two-phase methodological design (J.Creswell,1994) was utilized to answer the questions: (a) Did the plan lead to the desired outcomes? and (b) What strategies fostered or hindered progress toward the desired outcomes? The findings of this study were utilized to develope our next action step in preparing teachers to foster science literacy all Americans.

Sample:
-20 preservice teacher
-children from underserved populations

Setting:
-College of education and Human Science in USA

Method:

• Kemmis model
• cooperative learning activity:jigsaw
• on line discussion
• data collection by questionnare, written reflection and responses, field notes, course documents

Procedures:

• Contribute 2 phase consist of:
  
• i) did the plan of action lead to the desired outcomes?
  
• ii) what strategies fostered progress toward the desired outcomes?
  
• using inquiry that consist of oriented practice, an inquiry approach and a practicum situation
• Model of inquiry :
  
• 1)Research orientation by using Kemmis's model that included reconnaissance, planning, first action step, monitoring, reflecting, and evaluation
• 2)Participant of 20 included teachers and students
• 3)Seminar meeting where by five seminar meeting be held by structured a jigsaw cooperative learning
• 4)field experiences according to the student's ability
  
• 5)On-line discussions
• 6)Data collections by using instrument such as questionnaire, written reflection and responses, field notes, course document, quantitative and qualitative analysis and open-ended questionnaire.

Findings:
-The inquiry provide better results to the teacher in term of gain knowledge and confidence to meets the needs of youth populations of undeserved students in science education.
-The research lead the development of an informal, diverse field experience in local organizations to work with the populations.
-Action research is cyclical process and will take action the second plan where by stress on monitoring further about the effort of preparing to foster scientific to all students.
-Focus must expand beyond the experiences of the preserve teachers to provide better outcomes of teaching method to meet the need of undeserved populations in science education.
-The teacher will take longitudinal approach and future inquiries must continues to inform the practice.