The Next Generation Science Standards (NRC, 2013) positions teachers as responsible for necessary decision making about how their intended... Show moreThe Next Generation Science Standards (NRC, 2013) positions teachers as responsible for necessary decision making about how their intended science lesson plan content supports continuous student science learning. Teachers interact with their instructional lesson plans in dynamic and constructive ways. Adapting lesson plans is complex. This process of adapting lesson plans may play an important role in affording and constraining teachers’ actions and students’ learning (Brown, 2009). This study explored how five novice chemistry teachers (under 4 years of total teaching experience) at five Midwestern high schools adapted or retained their honors chemistry instructional lesson plans, and what associated contextual factors influenced their decisions. Using a case study design, this study was conducted during the fall semester of 2013 when teachers were focusing on introductory chemistry topics. Three frameworks (pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), teacher decision making, and pedagogical discontentment and self-efficacy) were used to investigate the relationships between teacher adaptations, contextual factors and decision making. The outcome of this study was the identification of 15 types of adaptations and 17 relevant contextual factors. Contextual factors were categorized by factors that relate to students or the teacher. Adaptations were categorized into three overarching types of adaptations. Lesson plan adaptations and contextual factors are discussed in the context of research on teacher decision making and lesson plan adaptations. PH.D in Science Education, May 2013 Show less
