Systems Reform

Aligning the Science Teacher Education Pathway: A Networked Improvement Community

Principal Investigator:
Michele Korb

The A-STEP project fosters collaboration between university faculty and pathway partners to implement common set of tools (Next Gen ASET Toolkit) across a science teacher training and development pathway. Partnerships across steps function under shared goals and paradigm shifts for pedagogical reform along the teacher pathway. A-STEP promotes change across our Networked Improvement Community (NIC) and the local pathway partners working with each university, ultimately impacting the enactment of the NGSS in respective K-12 classrooms.

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Discipline/Topic:
Science
Technology
Assessment
Curriculum
Disciplinary Content Knowledge
Pedagogical Content Knowledge
Professional Development
Systems Reform
Target Audience:
Teachers

Building Networks and Enhancing Diversity in the K-12 STEM Teaching Workforce

Principal Investigator:
Carol O'Donnell

The goal of this planning grant, which is based on the Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT). is to explicitly focus on broadening participation in the K-12 STEM teaching workforce, with the theory of action that diversifying the K-12 STEM teaching workforce would in the long term help more students see STEM as accessible to them and then be more likely to choose a STEM degree or career. This grant is also funded by NSF INCLUDES.

Co-PI(s): Helen Bond and Marilyn M Irving, Howard University; Hyunju Lee and Amy L D'Amico, Smithsonian Institution

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Discipline/Topic:
Computer Science
Engineering
Mathematics
Science
Technology
Systems Reform
Target Audience:
Pre-Kindergarten
Elementary School
Middle School

Transforming Scientific Practices to Promote Students Interest and Motivation in the Life Sciences: A Teacher Leadership Development Intervention

Principal Investigator:
Pauline Chinn

How Do Teacher Leaders Transform Scientific Practices to Promote Students Interest and Motivation in STEM? Formal and informal K-12+ educators learn to employ strategies of community mapping, curricular mapping and place-based, culturally sustaining pedagogy to write, teach, and evaluate NGSS lessons that engage underrepresented students in mathematics, life, earth, and physical sciences. Two case studies highlight how educators apply these strategies to intersect three domains: experiential/place-based learning, culturally sustaining learning, and disciplinary learning .

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Discipline/Topic:
Engineering
Mathematics
Science
Technology
Assessment
Broadening Participation
Curriculum
Disciplinary Content Knowledge
Educational Technology
Pedagogical Content Knowledge
Systems Reform
Target Audience:
Teachers

The Anthropology of Educational Policy: Ethnographic Inquiries into Policy as Sociocultural Practice

Broadening Participation
Systems Reform
Elementary
Middle
High





Access Link
https://www.routledge.com/The-Anthropology-of-Education-Policy-Ethnographic-Inq…
Author/Presenter

Angelina E. Castagno

Teresa McCarty

Lead Organization(s)
Northern Arizona University
Year
2018
Short Description

This book provides a single "go to" source on the disciplinary history, theoretical framework, methodology, and empirical applications of the anthropology of education policy across a range of education topics, policy debates, and settings.

Measuring Science Instructional Practice: A Survey Tool for the Age of NGSS

Science
Assessment
Standards
Systems Reform
Teacher Practice
Elementary
Middle
High

Ambitious efforts are taking place to implement a new vision for science education in the United States, in both Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)-adopted states and those states creating their own, often related, standards. Inservice and pre-service teacher educators are involved in supporting teacher shifts in practice toward the new standards. With these efforts, it will be important to document shifts in science instruction toward the goals of NGSS and broader science education reform.

Author/Presenter

Kathryn N. Hayes

Christine S. Lee

Rachelle DiStefano

Dawn O’Connor

Jeffery C. Seitz

Lead Organization(s)
California State University, East Bay
Year
2016
Short Description

This article describes the process of developing and validating a Science Instructional Practices survey instrument that is appropriate for NGSS and other related science standards.

Resource(s)
Hayes et al 2016 Measuring Science Instructional Practice NGSS.pdf

Traveling Teacher Professional Development Model: Local Interpretation and Adaptation of Lesson Study in Florida

Mathematics
Policy
Professional Development
Scale-Up
Systems Reform
Other

This mixed-method comparative study examined lesson study in Japan as the original model, and interpretation and adaption of lesson study as an emerging new model of teacher professional development in Florida, the United States. The study found that lesson study has been interpreted through the lens of organizational structures and routines of teacher professional development in Florida and the U.S. in general, and the model was adapted to fit into the existing organizational contexts.

Author/Presenter

Motoko Akiba

Lead Organization(s)
Florida State University (FSU)
Year
2016
Short Description

The chapter discusses the underlying views of teacher professional development and the teaching profession in the U.S. that played an important role in the adaptation process of lesson study.

Resource(s)
Akiba 2016-Traveling teacher PD model.pdf

Race to the Top and Lesson Study Implementation in Florida: District Policy and Leadership for Teacher Professional Development

Mathematics
Professional Development
Scale-Up
Systems Reform
Other

Lesson study was introduced to school districts in Florida in the United States as part of the federal government’s Race to the Top Program in 2010 to scale improvement in instruction and student learning. However, little is known about what district policy and leadership characteristics are associated with the level of lesson study implementation.

Author/Presenter

Motoko Akiba

Aki Murata

Cassie Howard

Bryan Wilkinson

Judith Fabrega

Lead Organization(s)
Florida State University (FSU)
Year
2019
Short Description

Based on a mixed methods study of a statewide survey and interviews of district professional development directors, we found that district requirement of lesson study, funding provision, and future sustainability plan were significantly and positively associated with a broader implementation of lesson study within the district. Implications for educational leaders at local educational agencies are discussed.

Resource(s)
Race to the Top.pdf

Next Generation STEM Learning for All-envisioning advances based on NSF supported research

Engineering
Mathematics
Science
Technology
Systems Reform
Pre-K
Elementary
Middle
High
 
On November 9, 2015, an NSF-supported STEM Forum was held, organized by STELAR (the ITEST resource network) and CADRE (the DR K-12 resource network). This report stems from the discussion at the forum. 
 
About the Report
How can research-based findings and advances help society to re-envision STEM learning and education?
 
Author/Presenter

Carrie Parker

Sarita Pillai

Jeremy Roschelle

Lead Organization(s)
Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC)
SRI International
Year
2016
Short Description

How can research-based findings and advances help society to re-envision STEM learning and education? This report captures key takeaways, strategies, and challenges identified during the November 2015 workshop, including: research-based advances for STEM learning; multiple stakeholder communities around STEM schools; social justice, equity, and excellence in STEM schools and communities; scale and sustainability

Resource(s)
NextGenerationSTEMLearningForAll.pdf

District Leadership in Scaling Up Instructional Improvement

Professional Development
Scale-Up
Systems Reform
Pre-Kindergarten
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
STEM Categorization
Math
Day
Fri

Learn about two projects’ findings on district leadership practices critical for scaling up ambitious mathematics instruction through teacher professional development. Share your own insights, challenges, and recommendations for scale-up. 

Date/Time
-
Presenters
Motoko Akiba
Paul Cobb
Paola Sztajn
Session Materials
District Leadership in Scaling up Instructional Improvement Slides.pdf

School districts play a critical role in supporting the development of school-level capacity for instructional improvement. Yet, our knowledge on what it takes to achieve district-wide improvement in mathematics instruction and student learning is still limited.  The objectives of this panel presentation are: 1) to share, compare, and discuss findings on district leadership for scaling up instructional improvement at various sites, and 2) to identify common aspects of district leadership critical for scaling up ambitious and equitable mathematics instruction. 

Session Types
Concurrent Session

Issues in Integrating NGSS Standards and Literacy/Language Arts in Grades K–5 Science

Achievement
Classroom Practice
Curriculum
Disciplinary Content Knowledge
Implementation
Pedagogical Content Knowledge
Professional Development
Standards
Systems Reform
Teacher Practice
Elementary School
Activity
Curriculum
STEM Categorization
Science
Day
Thu

Join in a discussion and give feedback on the work of a project integrating science and literacy/language arts, and issues associated with designing and implementing integrated science in K–5 schools.

Date/Time
-
Presenters
Nancy Romance
Michael Vitale
Session Materials
Integrating NGSS and LLA.pptx

The vision of meaningful learning in science from NGSS and the National Research Council’s A Framework for K-12 Science Education requires reform efforts that address 1) curricular issues (what is being taught); and 2) pedagogical practices (what teaching will look like with emphasis on both the practices of science and engineering and the integration of the Common Core State Standards – English Language Arts).

Session Types
Concurrent Session
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