Professional development generally refers to the
collection of activities that systematically increase
teachers knowledge of academic subjects and advance
teachers understanding of instructional strategies.
Given the complexity of the reform initiatives for
science education in the United States of America as
set forth by the American Association for the
Advancement of Science (AAAS), and the National
Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996), professional
development might provide a bridge for aligning
teacher practice with national standards
(Loucks-Horsley, 1995). However, the current...