Demographic Factors That Influence Performance on the Praxis Earth and Space Science: Content Knowledge Test

Autor/inn/en	Ndembera, Rachel; Hao, Jie; Fallin, Rebekah; Ray, Herman E.; Shah, Lisa; Rushton, Gregory T.
Titel	Demographic Factors That Influence Performance on the Praxis Earth and Space Science: Content Knowledge Test
Quelle	In: Journal of Geoscience Education, 69 (2021) 4, S.401-410 (10 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Ray, Herman E.) ORCID (Shah, Lisa) ORCID (Rushton, Gregory T.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1089-9995
DOI	10.1080/10899995.2020.1813866
Schlagwörter	Licensing Examinations (Professions); Science Teachers; Earth Science; Racial Differences; Gender Differences; Grade Point Average; Age Differences; Knowledge Base for Teaching; Space Sciences; High School Teachers; Teacher Characteristics; Teacher Certification; Intellectual Disciplines; Praxis Series + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Science; Teacher; Teachers; Science teacher; Wissenschaft; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Earth sciences; Geowissenschaften; Rassenunterschied; Geschlechterkonflikt; Age; Difference; Age difference; Altersunterschied; Teaching theory; Theory of teaching; Unterrichtstheorie; High school; High schools; Oberschule; Geisteswissenschaften
Abstract	What teachers know about their content area plays a role in how they effectively enhance the scientific literacy of their students. This leads to questions about teacher content knowledge as they enter the field. The Praxis Earth and Space Science: Content Knowledge Test is the most widely used licensure assessment for aspiring Earth science teachers in the United States. There are few previous reports on the personal and professional characteristics of those test-takers which would provide information about Earth science teacher candidates. This study presents findings based on analysis of trends in reported demographic variables and scaled scores for examinees assessed by the licensure exam from June 2006 to May 2016 in order to identify which have the highest correlation with their performance. Three major themes emerged as a result of the study: there is currently a large proportion of out of field teaching, a lack of diversity among test-takers, and underperformance of Black/African American test-takers when compared to their White counterparts as well as in females compared to males. Our analysis uncovered more subtle differences in performance based on undergraduate GPA and age group as well. Findings from this study suggest recommendations for improving focused recruitment and retention efforts to support identified at-risk populations enrolled in Earth science teacher preparation programs. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01