Design and effectiveness of professional learning programs to support teachers in promoting students' scientific reasoning competencies
type: CreativeWork
description: Promoting students’ scientific reasoning competencies constitutes a crucial goal of science education. However, studies show that students’ scientific reasoning competencies develop only slightly over the course of their school career. Professional learning programs are recognized as an essential way to support teachers in developing their teaching of scientific reasoning. This doctoral project addressed several gaps in research with regard to professional learning programs focused on scientific reasoning: 1) A systematic review was conducted to summarize the relevant design features of professional learning programs related to scientific reasoning. A total of 21 design features were identified, providing a substantive basis for designing effective professional learning programs to support teachers in promoting students’ scientific reasoning competencies. 2) An intervention was designed and implemented to investigate the effects on secondary science teachers’ knowledge and beliefs, their classroom practice, and students’ competencies related to scientific reasoning. The professional learning program led to varying effects on individual teachers’ knowledge and beliefs, their classroom practice and students’ competencies related to scientific reasoning. 3) Interviews were conducted with teachers that showed very different trajectories during and after the professional learning program to examine in what ways contextual factors influenced their progression. A wide range of contextual factors were identified that allow to better understand the different effects of professional learning programs on individual teachers, and to derive implications for more targeted support in professional learning. Finally, a conceptual framework is presented that brings together the design features, effects, and influencing contextual factors and that can serve as foundation for future research in this direction.
abstract: Promoting students’ scientific reasoning competencies constitutes a crucial goal of science education. However, studies show that students’ scientific reasoning competencies develop only slightly over the course of their school career. Professional learning programs are recognized as an essential way to support teachers in developing their teaching of scientific reasoning. This doctoral project addressed several gaps in research with regard to professional learning programs focused on scientific reasoning: 1) A systematic review was conducted to summarize the relevant design features of professional learning programs related to scientific reasoning. A total of 21 design features were identified, providing a substantive basis for designing effective professional learning programs to support teachers in promoting students’ scientific reasoning competencies. 2) An intervention was designed and implemented to investigate the effects on secondary science teachers’ knowledge and beliefs, their classroom practice, and students’ competencies related to scientific reasoning. The professional learning program led to varying effects on individual teachers’ knowledge and beliefs, their classroom practice and students’ competencies related to scientific reasoning. 3) Interviews were conducted with teachers that showed very different trajectories during and after the professional learning program to examine in what ways contextual factors influenced their progression. A wide range of contextual factors were identified that allow to better understand the different effects of professional learning programs on individual teachers, and to derive implications for more targeted support in professional learning. Finally, a conceptual framework is presented that brings together the design features, effects, and influencing contextual factors and that can serve as foundation for future research in this direction.
author: Sannert, Richard
keywords: Professional learning, Professional development, Teacher, Science, Scientific Reasoning, Scientific Thinking, Fortbildung, Lehrkräfte, Naturwissenschaften, Naturwissenschaftliches Denken, Erkenntnisgewinnung
date published: 2026-02-20
date modified: 2026-07-24T01:35:31Z
provider: Christian-Albrechts Universität Kiel
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel