An evaluation of short earth science continuing professional development for trainee primary school teachers, 2009-2015

The comments from 1395 evaluation forms completed by 25% trainee teachers participating in earth science workshops were used to ascertain whether the workshops contributed to teaching practices and teacher confidence. The workshops took place in English teacher training establishments between 2009 and 2015. The background qualifications of the trainees, and their confidence at teaching science prior to the workshop were investigated. The evaluation responses of the participants were analysed thematically (Braun & Clarke, 2006) and it was found that these themes related very closely to Guskey’s (2000) categories as being important outcomes for effective Continuing Professional Development (CPD). The workshops provided informative, accurate subject content knowledge which could be used along with the pedagogical content knowledge for trainees and teachers with little science background. The trainees stated that they felt confident in using the workshop ideas; that they could adapt these ideas to their own teaching styles and that the simple but effective resources were easily available for use. The workshops provided the knowledge and understanding of the subject a teacher needed prior to offering it as a lesson, seen as being very important (Harlen and Elstgeest (1992). The workshops showed that they could indeed fulfil a need effectively in a short workshop providing confidence and reliable teaching content