Effective Date: Defenses occurring in Summer 2010 and after
There are several purposes for using the Master of Arts in Science Teaching (MAST) portfolio and defense as the culminating experience for the MAST degree. The first is to act as a form of reflection for you, the student. This is your opportunity to organize and synthesize your learning from the program. The second purpose is for the partial assessment of what you have learned in the program. The portfolio and the artifacts that you have gathered, in addition to a verbal defense, will provide your committee with the summative assessment information they need to determine if you have met the learning outcomes of the program. If the answer is “yes,” you will be recommended for graduation with a Master of Arts in Science Teaching at NAU. The third purpose of the portfolio and defense is to act as an evaluation tool for the MAST program. Through an analysis of your portfolio/defense, and the work of other students in the program, we will collect information that will help us improve the program in the future and to provide evidence to others that the MAST program design results in the high levels of student learning that we desire.
THE PORTFOLIO
Portfolio Preparation
The preparation of the portfolio is a reflective act. It allows you the opportunity to review all of the work and experiences that you have had as a result of participating in the MAST program, as well as the changes that you may have made in your teaching practices based on this new learning. Creating a portfolio involves four steps:
- The collection of materials and artifacts throughout your program. This may include but is not limited to course notes, assignments, important readings, video tapes, lesson and unit plans, tests, syllabi, reflective essays, student work, etc.
- The selection of artifacts that represent important learning as a result of the program.
- A reflection on what these artifacts mean to you. This is done in a written narrative form as you write an essay expressing your current ideas and thoughts about growth as a result of the program. Your artifacts are referenced within the narrative and justified in terms of their inclusion. For instance, an artifact may be a segment of notes taken in class or a passage from a textbook that produced a fundamental shift in your thinking about a topic. An assignment from a class may be used to illustrate ideas that you held early in the program to which you no longer subscribe. An exam in a class may represent a new way of being assessed that resulted in strong learning on your behalf and that acted as a model of what you want to do with your students in the future. A lesson plan or video tape may illustrate what you think is an excellent lesson based on the vision of the national and state standards. Or an analysis of student work may represent a moment of serious consideration about the impact (or lack thereof) of your teaching on student learning. Not all your learning and current ideas need to be represented by artifacts, but some level of representation is important to help you document and illuminate your thinking and learning.
- A projection about what you now know and are able to do, and about your future professional development goals. The final part of your narrative is to consider next steps for yourself as a professional. What future goals do you have and what resources or steps will be necessary for you to achieve them?
Portfolio Organization
The core of the portfolio is a series of three narrative statements that synthesize your thinking around the three main learning goals in the program. Each of these organizing questions is listed below, as well as sub-questions that might be helpful in synthesizing your thinking. Each of the listed sub-questions must be specifically answered. Please answer the questions in the sequence indicated below.
While the structure of the portfolio can be tailored to meet your individual needs through negotiations with your committee, for most students, a standard format will serve their needs well. Within the MAST program, three questions that act as essential organizers for the program organization, learning opportunities, and assessment:
- What is important to know about science and why? (Section I: Content Knowledge)
- What do I believe about teaching and learning? (Section II: Pedagogical Knowledge)
- What does exemplary science instruction look like? (Section III: Pedagogical Content Knowledge)
In the sections below, required sub-questions to each of the above organizing questions are listed. This narrative is unique to the portfolio and, while it may draw on work from other assignments, is not a direct repeat of any one assignment.
In organizing the hard copy of your portfolio, use a three ring notebook with two sets of tabs. Tab set #1 should have five tabs to be labeled to be consistent with numbers 1-5 described in the next paragraph. Tab set #2 should be numbered 1-30 or A-Z. Tabset #2 will be used behind tabs 2, 3, and 4 to identify the included artifacts. The portfolio will be organized and labeled as follows:
Cover page with your name, contact information (as appropriate), degree (MAST), years in program, and defense date [TENTATIVE]
- Table of Contents
- Defense form (completed from electronic file, except for signatures and a hard copy to defense)
- Program of study (available from the CSTL office)
- SectionI: What is important to know about science and why? (Content Knowledge)
- Question 1: Essential Questions
- Question 2: Define science and characterize the nature of science
- Repeat for questions 3-6
- SectionII: What do I believe about teaching and learning? (Pedagogical Knowledge)
- Question 7: How do students learning science?
- Repeat for questions 9-12
- SectionIII: What does exemplary science instruction look like? (Pedagogical Content Knowledge)
- Question 13: Characterize a safe learning environment…
- Repeat for questions 15-19
- Section IV: Artifacts
- Artifact A, Artifact B, etc.
- Section V: Power Point slides from defense (to be inserted at the time of the defense)
The next section of this document outlines the questions/signature assignments that are required aspects of the MAST portfolio.
It is recommended that you take notes on your developing knowledge related to these questions while you advance through the program and save artifacts that will help provide evidence of your evolving knowledge. In addition, the rubric for each required section is provided to act as a guide to your personal assessment of your progress in assembling your portfolio and preparing for your oral defense.
The MAST program does not require specific courses but does require that you complete the program with evidence of mastery in a number of areas. Courses may provide support in mastery of program goals, but so might independent readings, teaching experiences, and professional development programs outside of the MAST degree program. Below each portfolio section is a listing of potential resources that you could use to enrich your understanding and support the preparation your portfolio narrative.
Please discuss the match of your course work and learning opportunities with your advisor/chair in order to assess your readiness to draft your initial portfolio for review.
Effective Date: Defenses occurring in Summer 2010 and after
Portfolio Content
The portfolio should be written as a narrative using APA style. In writing your narrative, please use the specific questions as sub-headers. Each question will take approximately 1-2 double spaced pages to answer, however, some questions may take up to ten pages to answer and others may take less than one page. The response to each sub-question should include an introduction, body, and conclusion, following the spirit of a 5-paragraph essay. References to your artifacts should be embedded in the body of the text and should be used as evidence to explain, illustrate, and substantiate statements made in the narrative; artifacts should be included as an appendix. While successful completion of the portfolio will require frequent use of citations, the bulk of the narrative should be comprised of your synthesis of the material in your cited documents. Direct quoting should be very infrequent.
Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will result in severe consequences. Students are strongly encouraged to take the following tutorials in order to avoid academic dishonesty:
Within the text, cite artifacts by tab number/letter (i.e., Artifact M), describe what the artifact is (Educational Philosophy statement, June, 2004), its source (SCI 610 class assignment), and why it is included (This statement reflected my thinking after the first summer in the cohort. Since that time I have made three important changes to my thinking…..).
In general, there should be 5-8 artifacts for each section of the portfolio.
An artifact is any document that supports, illustrates, or expands on the point being made and can include, among many things, a written assignment, a lesson plan, an article, a website, or student work. It does not have to be your original work.
I. Content Knowledge: What is Science? (Questions 1 – 6)
- A narrative that answers the following questions:
- Essential constructs of science.
The following constructs have been considered as central to each of the listed disciplinesin that many ideas connect and are explained by these constructs. In consultation with your committee chair, select threeconstructs from the list below. At least one must come from Unifying Concepts and Processes. For each construct, explain in a 1-2 page narrative how the construct connects multiple ideas in your discipline. Support your contentions with specific examples of topics or concepts that would typically be part of the curriculum at your grade level.
Unifying Concepts and Processes
Systems, order, and organization
Evidence, models and explanation
Constancy, change, and measurement
Evolution and equilibrium
Form and function
Life Sciences
Growth and development
Homeostasis
Reproduction
Responding to stimuli
The cell
Genetics and hereditary
Molecular basis of heredity
Biological evolution
Interdependence of organisms
Matter, energy, and organization in living systems
Geologic time
Surface-to-volume ratio
Physical Sciences
Energy
Matter
Interactions of energy and matter
Flow of energy and matter
Conservation of energy and matter
Forces
Earth and Space Sciences
Global climate system components—definitions and functions
Origin and evolution
Interactions of energy and matter
Interactions of biotic and abiotic systems
Systems
Geologic time
- Define science and characterize the nature of science.
- Define inquiry. What is the role of inquiry in the definition and nature of science? In science teaching?
- Identify 3 current science-based issues that are reported in the news (e.g., genetically-modified organisms, global climate change, stem-cell research), at least one of which is important to your local community. Why are these issues important? How would you use these examples to enhance your content teaching and help students appreciate the nature of science?Or how have you begun using these examples in your classroom?
- What elements of your program have been most influential in impacting your science content knowledge? How were they influential?
- What do you know now about science content, and what do you still need to learn? What professional development opportunities will you seek to help you meet these learning goals?
II. Pedagogical Knowledge: What do I believe about teaching and learning? (Questions 7 – 12)
- A narrative that answers the following questions:
- How do students learn science?
- What is the role of the student in learning? The teacher?
- What is the role of the national and state standards? The curriculum that you use?
- Discuss the meaning of the goal of “science for all” and how that relates to science teaching and learning in your classroom. Specifically describe experiences where you effectively worked with diverse populations.
- What elements of your program have been most influential in impacting your pedagogical knowledge? How were they influential?
- What do you know now about pedagogy and what do you still need to learn? What professional development opportunities will you seek to help you meet these learning goals?
III. Pedagogical Content Knowledge: What does exemplary science instruction look like? (Questions 13 – 19)
- A narrative that answers the following questions:
- Characterize a safe science learning environment. Where does the responsibility for safety reside?
- Describe how you have applied your learning about the integration of technology to your classroom. Be specific and provide artifacts to support this application.
- Provide evidence that your teaching has impacted student learning. Select one unit of instruction. For this unit, provide:
- A pre-assessment of the unit that you have designed
- An analysis of the student work on the pre-assessment (item 15.a) and how you used that information to modify at least one lesson
- The lesson plan that you modified based on the student work on the pre-assessment (must include both the initial lesson plan and the modified lesson plan)
- A post assessment of student learning (expansion of the pre-assessment)
- An analysis of the set of materials (items 15.a-d) in terms of what it tells you about your teaching and your students’ learning
- What does it mean to be a professional science teacher?
- What does it mean to be a leader in science education?
- What elements of your program have been most influential in impacting your thinking about science teaching and learning? How were they influential?
- What do you know now about science pedagogy and what do you still need to learn? What professional development opportunities will you seek to help you meet these learning goals?
Using the following matrix, provide artifacts that demonstrate your emerging understanding. These artifacts must be referenced in your narrative, including an indication of what you believe these artifacts reveal about your learning.
Alignment of portfolio questions, artifacts, and learning opportunities
Question / Required Artifacts / Potential Artifacts / Learning Opportunities / ResourcesSection I
- Essential Q
Class notes, labs, assignments
Articles / SCI 610 and science content courses / SFAA
NSES
Benchmarks
Science Matters
Atlas
- NOS
Class notes, labs, assignments
Excerpts from printed materials / SCI 613 / NSES
SFAA
Teaching NOS through Process Skills
- Inquiry
Excerpts from printed materials / SCI 613 / Inquiry and the NSES
Science as Inquiry in the secondary setting
- Current issues
Excerpts from printed materials / SCI 613 and science content courses / Science magazines, newspapers, and periodicals
- Program impact
- Future learning
Section II
- Student learning
Excerpts from printed materials
Class notes
Graded assignments
Concept map / SCI 610 / How People Learn
Science Teaching and the Development of Thinking
Teaching Inquiry Science
- Student/teacher role
Class notes
Curriculum materials / SCI 610 / Inquiry and the NSES
The Pupil as Scientist
- Standards and curriculum
Lesson plans
Class notes / SCI 611 / NSES
AZ Science Content Standards
Teaching Secondary School Science
Understanding by Design
- SFAA
Adaptations from lesson plans
Excerpts from printed materials
Class notes / SCI 611, 612 / SFAA
NSES
Course materials from Structure English Immersion courses
Celebrating cultural diversity
Science for English Language Learners
- Program impact
- Future Learning
Section III
- Safety
Student safety quizzes / SCI 611 / NSTA safety books
Flinn catalogue
Flinn New Teacher’s kit
- Classroom application
Post-lesson reflections / SCI 612 / Computers as Mindtools for Schools
Technology in the secondary science classroom
EDThoughts: What we know about science teaching and learning
- Assessment of student learning
- Being a professional
Dispositions survey and reflection on pre/post responses / Programs from conferences or workshops / SCI 612
- Being a leader
- Program impact
- Future learning
Portfolio Evaluation
There are several things that you can do to help ensure that your portfolio will be evaluated positively.
First, review the format described in this handout and make sure that you have included all aspects of the portfolio. Consult the CSTL library to see portfolios that can act as models for your work. Use this framework to draft your initial narrative and include your selection of artifacts.
Second, have a colleague review the guidelines and read your portfolio in order to provide feedback. Are all the required components are present? Is the writing clear? Is it free of typographical and grammatical errors? Does the portfolio provide compelling evidence of what you have learned, where you have learned it, how you will use this information, and what you have yet to learn in the future? Complete a plagiarism check using software available on VISTA.
Third, prior to submitting your portfolio to your committee, your committee chairwill review/approve it. Failure to complete this last step may result in a failed defense or the need to make substantial revisions on the portfolio at a later date, delaying graduation. Your committee chair will review and provide feedback for a maximum of two submissions of the completed portfolio (the portfolio may be submitted in smaller chunks, as agreed upon by your committee chair). On the third submission, the committee chair will determine if the complete portfolio has a reasonable chance of passing with the full committee. If the chair determines the quality of the portfolio is not sufficient to pass a full committee review, the candidate will not be allowed to schedule an oral defense and the written portfolio will be considered failed. In the case of a failed written portfolio, the candidate may make a written appeal the case to the CSTL director. The director in consultation with CSTL faculty members will determine whether a reassignment of committee chair and one additional revision may be allowed.