Promoting inquiry in mathematics and science: Professional development of primary and secondary school teachers

Abstract

Our study is placed in the intersection of two problems: pedagogical renewal in the teaching of Science and Mathematics towards inquiryoriented perspectives, and the transformative professional development of teachers. Within a European project, a professional development program about inquiry-based learning was designed and implemented in 13 European countries. Tools to measure teachers’ evolution within the program were also designed and validated. In this paper we focus on the Spanish case (18 professional development programmes implemented, with Primary and Secondary school teachers). They filled in a questionnaire before their participation in the programmes and when they finished. The questionnaire addressed different dimensions about inquiry-based learning (beliefs, teaching practices, perceived barriers and obstacles). Then, the second questionnaire addressed teachers’ perceptions of the professional development process they experienced, and the impact teachers perceived on their teaching practices. Results show an increment in all of the dimensions analysed about inquiry-based learning, as well as an improvement in teachers’ perception of barriers and obstacles that hinderthe use of this pedagogy. However, despite the progress observed, teachers’ practices do not reflect a wider use of this pedagogy as yet. Results also show that teachers positively value the professional development process experienced, with a positive perception of the impact of the programme on their teaching abilities, despite the moderate transformation they reported on their teaching practices. In summary, from the results, we extract relevant conclusions about inquiry-based learning dimensions that should be addressed deeply in professional development programmes, as well as about professional learning processes that should be enhanced to strengthen the transformative potential of such programmes.