What is teacher research?
Teacher research is the systematic inquiry by educators into their own practice in order to improve teaching and learning. In science education, teacher research is utilized to: a) teacher education and professional development; b) research on science learning; and c) curriculum development and implementation (Feldman & Capobianco, 2000).
“Inquiry is a process that all individuals naturally use in approaching new situations and solving problems in life. By engaging in inquiry, …children…gain experience…that will improve their capacity to handle life situations and solve everyday problems.”
- Edmund Marek and Ann Cavallo (1997)
What are some professional education organizations that encompass math and science education, as well as teacher research?
American Association for the Advancement of Science: http://www.aaas.org/
American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT): http://www.aapt.org
American Educational Research Association (AERA): http://www.aera.net/
Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE): http://aste.chem.pitt.edu/
Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE): http://www.amte.net/
California Science Teachers Association: http://www.cascience.org/
National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST): http://www.narst.org/
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM): http://www.nctm.org/
National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR): http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=EHR
National Science Teachers Association (NSTA): http://www.nsta.org/
Research Council on Mathematics Learning (RCML): http://www.unlv.edu/RCML/
School Science and Mathematics Association (SSMA): http://www.ssma.org/
