RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SELECTED INSERVICE TEACHER CHARACTERISTICS AND CONTENT MASTERY TEST SCORES IN A PROGRAM-SPECIFIC TEACHER WORKSHOP FOR SECONDARY MARINE SCIENC

This is a study of relationships between characteristics of teachers participating in a High School Marine Science Studies (HMSS) Workshop and teacher scores on the HMSS Content Mastery Test. The combined Hawaii and Massachusetts workshop are the total population of HMSS Workshop participants during the summer of 1979.;Data were obtained using an HMSS Workshop registration form and results from pre- and post-workshop administrations of the program-specific HMSS Content Mastery Test. The test has two components: "Subtest A. Physical Science" and "Subtest B. Biological Science." The pre-workshop test was administered in parts throughout the workshop just before each HMSS unit was introduced; the post-workshop test was administered in its entirety at the conclusion of the workshop.;Results from testing indicate no statistically significant relationship between either pre- or post-workshop HMSS Content Mastery Test scores and three of the teacher characteristics selected for the study: total years teaching experience, age, and sex. Disciplinary background, level of prior marine experience, and highest degree in science reached positive statistical significance on "Subtest B. Biological Science" scores. Level of prior marine experience also reached positive statistical significance on the pre-workshop administrations of "Subtest A. Physical Science." Two-way interactions reached statistical significance on post-workshop scores of "Subtest A. Physical Science" with total years teaching experience and disciplinary background.;In general, teacher characteristics had (1) a closer relationship to biological science scores than to physical science scores, and (2) a closer relationship to pre-workshop scores than to post-workshop scores. The study concluded that significant relationships exist between selected teacher characteristics and teacher scores on the HMSS Content Mastery Test.;As a result of this study, HMSS Workshop leaders can use pre-registration data to predict scores of HMSS Workshop participants and to plan modifications of workshop activities to better meet individual teacher needs.