Inservice science teachers' views of a professional development workshop and their learning of force and motion concepts

Teacher attitudes affect their instruction such that positive teacher attitudes enhance the teaching and learning process. The purpose of this study was to explore inservice science teachers' views of learning physics within the context of a professional development experience and to investigate the relationship between those views and the teachers' understanding of force and motion concepts. The conceptual understanding pretest results indicate the need for inservice science teacher professional development that focuses on conceptual understanding. The relationship between participants' views and their conceptual understanding at posttest has additional implications for the curriculum for these science teachers' professional development experiences.

► We demonstrate the need for professional development for science teachers teaching physics concepts.
► We describe a successful professional development experience associated with teaching physics concepts.
► Q methodology is introduced and shown to be an effective way to determine views and consensus.
► The importance of learner perspectives about learning of physics concepts is confirmed for teachers.
► The findings have implications for professional development experiences for science teachers.