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Issues in Educational Research, 2019, Vol 29(2), 402-426.
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A five-level design for evaluating professional development programs: Teaching and learning about nature of science

Eda Erdas Kartal
Kastamonu University, Turkey

Nihal Dogan
Abant Izzet Baysal University, Turkey

Serhat Irez
Marmara University, Turkey

Gultekin Cakmakci and Yalcin Yalaki
Hacettepe University, Turkey

The aim of this study is to evaluate a continuing professional development (CPD) program designed to improve teachers' professional competences about the nature of science (NOS) by using a new evaluation perspective. The researchers followed a year long CPD about NOS with the voluntary attendance of 18 middle school science teachers and their students. In a collaborative and reflective environment, teachers were introduced to various NOS aspects and ways to use explicit instruction and formative assessment in their NOS teaching. In addition, teachers received teaching activities and materials to be implemented in their classrooms for one year. The data were collected and evaluated based on the "five level (learning, beliefs, transfer, results, and reaction) evaluation model". The findings demonstrate that the CPD program about NOS effectively improved teachers' views about NOS, beliefs about teaching and learning the NOS, classroom practices about NOS and also their students' views about NOS. This study is the first to use formative assessment and discourse analysis in a professional development program for in-service teacher education, and also first to evaluate teachers' views, beliefs, practices and their students' views about NOS all together. The findings are thought to motivate researchers to consider multiple level evaluations of future professional development programs.
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Authors: Eda Erdas Kartal is an Assistant Professor of Educational Science at Kastamonu University, Turkey. Her research interests include teacher education, teaching and learning nature of science, teaching evolution, and professional development of science teachers. Her research interests also include educational programs and teaching.
Email: erdaseda@gmail.com

Nihal Dogan is an Associate Professor of Science Education at Abant Izzet Baysal University, Turkey. Her research focuses on the teaching and learning of nature of science in grades K-12, and in pre-service and in-service science teacher. Her research interests also include teacher education, professional development of science teachers and research methods in science education.
Email: nihaldogan17@gmail.com

Serhat Irez is a Professor of Science Education at Marmara University, Turkey. His research interests include teaching and learning nature of science, the history of science in science teaching, teaching evolution and, professional development of science teachers.
Email: sirez@marmara.edu.tr

Gultekin Cakmakci is a Professor of Science Education at Hacettepe University, Turkey and has been teaching courses on STEM education and public engagement with STEM. His research interests focus on developing scientific literacy among students and the general public and on the design, implementation and evaluation of STEM teaching.
Email: gultekincakmakci@gmail.com
Web: http://gultekincakmakci.weebly.com

Yalcin Yalaki graduated from Cukurova University, Department of Chemistry. He completed his MS and PhD degrees at Florida State University in science education. He has been working at Hacettepe University since 2004. His research interests include, teaching and learning of nature of science, inquiry based science education, and formative assessment.
Email: yyalaki@gmail.com

Please cite as: Erdas Kartal, E., Dogan, N., Irez, S., Cakmakci, G., Yalaki, Y. (2019). A five-level design for evaluating professional development programs: Teaching and learning about nature of science. Issues in Educational Research, 29(2), 402-426. http://www.iier.org.au/iier29/erdas-kartal.pdf


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