| Some students are not mastering the scientific inquiry skills needed to be ready for postsecondary studies. For students to master these skills, science teachers must implement instructional practices that facilitate scientific inquiry. The purpose of this correlation study was to investigate the relationship between professional development and instructional practices of science teachers. Cognitive consistency theory was used as the theoretical foundation. Forty-five science teachers from one high school district responded to reflective items on the Science Teacher Survey, which addressed their instructional practices, professional development activities, and teaching environment. Results of the Spearman correlation analysis indicated a relationship between teachers' participation in immersion, collaborative work, and curriculum or instruction types of professional development and the use of scientific inquiry instructional practices. Participants reported using scientific inquiry less than once a week. Implications for positive social change include increased participation in the types of professional development that best prepare science teachers to better prepare students for postsecondary success. |
