An analysis of the effects of a five-day professional development experience on in-service K-12 teachers' content knowledge and self-reported confidence in their ability to teach astronomy content

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of a 5-day summer astronomy institute on K-12 in-service teachers’ content knowledge in astronomy. Sixty teachers voluntarily completed a pre and post Test Of Astronomy STandards (TOAST) assessment instrument and supplemental information survey. Analysis of the data indicate that the elementary and middle-school teachers who participated in the workshop lacked sufficient astronomy content knowledge and self-reported low confidence in their ability to teach astronomy content. Elementary and middle school teachers’ content knowledge, and self-reported confidence, was positively influenced by the professional development program. By comparison, high school teachers scored higher on both the pre and post assessments and self-reported confidence to teach astronomy content. Implications of these results on future professional development opportunities are suggested.