PARTNERSHIPS: A SYSTEMIC STUDY OF TWO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTS WITH UNIVERSITY FACULTY AND K-12 TEACHERS OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS
Journal Title: Problems of Education in the 21st Century - Year 2015, Vol 65, Issue 6
Abstract
While it can take different forms, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) K-12 teacher professional development (PD) is important around the world. Though all stakeholders play critical roles in PDs, the author focuses on the larger system that supports the PDs. As such, this research study focuses on the PD results, but also on the explanation of the systemic nature of the PDs studied. Partnerships, including building of relationships, are explored in that system. In this mixed methods study of two K-12 teacher PDs (n=31 and 19 total PD days), conducted in the western United States, the author utilizes quantitative and qualitative data collection methods to reinforce quality PD practices and suggested strategies. Results indicate that 90% of the K-12 teachers were highly engaged in the STEM content and partnership building. Pre to post K-12 teacher perception scores regarding astronomy use in STEM content courses showed noteworthy improvement from 16% to 84%. Furthermore, K-12 teacher perceptions regarding creation of partnerships and collaborations rose from 26% to 90%. Other fndings showcase themes of reflection, collaboration, STEM integration, and inquiry as well as a need for partnership building time. Overall, when the K-12 teachers worked together in a structured PD over an academic year (2014-2015) for a selection of 19 days (13 summer days and 6 Saturdays during the academic year) partnerships were formed and provided added organization for the PD system. Faculty/PD team communications and continuous K-12 teacher support were also critical factors for systemic PD success. Access to K-12 teacher created lesson plans that use astronomy as a vehicle for STEM lessons can be accessed free of charge at the following websites: http://physics.uwyo.edu/~mike/workshop/index.html and http://www.physics.uwyo.edu/~aschwortz/LASSI/
Authors and Affiliations
Andrea C. Burrows
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP35387
- DOI -
- Views 325
- Downloads 0
INNOVATIVE TEACHING STRATEGIES ON THE DIACHRONIC VIEW OF GREEK AS MOTHER TONGUE: FROM ANCIENT TO MODERN GREEK LANGUAGE
In this chapter we present the implementation of new technologies in mother tongue learning and teaching based on the principles of cooperative learning. The data quoted come from an educational project named ‘Nereides...
CLOSENESS OF FIT TO THE IDEAL: CLASSIFICATION AND SIMILARITY OF TEACHERS’ REFLECTIONS USING MULTI-DIMENSIONAL SCALING
The objectives of this research are to provide the theoretical basis for the analysis of qualitative data, such as teachers' responses to reflective questions using quantitative methods such as multidimensional scaling....
The eXPReSSION Of a PRINCIPaL’S TRaNSfORMaTIONaL LeaDeRShIP DuRINg The ORgaNIZaTIONaL ChaNge PROCeSS: a CaSe STuDY Of LIThuaNIaN geNeRaL eDuCaTION SChOOLS
Transformational leadership is essential for school principals who desire to achieve school success and effectiveness, especially when determining a school’s direction, creating a cohesive school community for collecti...
Teaching chromaTography in secondary school – an inVesTigaTion concerning grade, conTexT, conTenT, experimenTs and media
This investigation focuses on how one of the best established and most effcient methods for the separation of substances – chromatography – is taught in secondary school. A questionnairebased study with teachers (N=76)...
THE SCHOOL GEOGRAPHY AND THE 39 DIDACTIC IN THE CONSTITUTION OF THE GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION
This paper discusses the geographic education and, in this context approaches the geography didactics. Those two themes are inserted in the discussion over the school in modern times, considering that the 21st century...