An Auto-Criticism: Exploration of Professional Development for Secondary Science Educators

Abstract

This auto-criticism investigates the benefits of experiential professional development for science educators by examining the reflective journey of one teacher-researcher—me—through multiple immersive learning experiences. Using narrative journaling and qualitative analysis, this study captures the influence of these experiences on my identity, instructional design, and ability to create experiential learning opportunities for students. Rather than approaching professional development as a checklist of strategies, this research seeks to illuminate how deeply engaged, hands-on learning can transform teaching from routine delivery to embodied practice. Thematic coding revealed shifts in curriculum planning, increased responsiveness to student inquiry, and renewed clarity around the purpose of science education in a changing world. Ultimately, this work offers a textured portrait of teacher learning that is rooted in reflection, vulnerability, and imagination. It argues that effective professional development must not only transfer knowledge but also cultivate meaning—nurturing educators’ capacity to see, to feel, and to teach with authenticity. In doing so, it extends the conversation on science teacher preparation by asserting that experiential learning is not only for students but also for the educators who guide them.