Description
The COVID-19 pandemic induced a global educational emergency that abruptly threatened the continuity of education. Teachers and students were thrust into distance instruction, leaving many feeling unprepared to facilitate engaging reform-minded science, undermining their science identity, attitude, and self-efficacy. Even with the unprecedented instructional challenges, some elementary teachers were able to maintain their positive science beliefs and effectively continue to engage students. To understand the effectiveness of science teaching, science beliefs may serve as proxy data when evaluating teaching practices. To help guide education leaders and policymakers in their efforts to continue the momentum of reform-minded science, regardless of the teaching modality, the purpose of this study was to determine the factors associated with elementary teachers who were able to maintain their positive science attitude and self-efficacy during the education emergency. Utilizing a sequential explanatory mixed-method design with a phenomenological approach, data were collected through both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. Semi-structured interviews emphasized the types of factors that led to teachers’ positive science attitude and self-efficacy in distance learning. Findings from this study indicate the factors associated with elementary teachers’ belief maintenance included a combination of actions (interest and enjoyment in science and science teaching, voluntary pursuit of knowledge, prioritization of engaging reform-minded science instruction, and creating innovative instruction through leveraging technology and flexibility in free choice of supplies, projects, and overall student engagement), and dispositions (risk-taking, flexibility, embracing failure, and self-determination). These findings are discussed to help ensure effective reformed-minded science continues despite any future threat to education.
