Quality Urban Ecology Science Teaching for Diverse Learners

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The Discovery Research K-12 program (DRK-12) seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools (RMTs). Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects. This exploratory research project will examine the relationship between teacher professional development associated with newly developed modules in urban ecology and the achievement and engagement of long-term English learners (LTEL). Participants in the project will include students in grades 4-8 in a large urban school district, elementary school teachers, middle school science teachers, and middle school teachers of English language arts. Existing Urban Ecology learning modules will be enhanced to accommodate the needs of LTELs, and teachers will participate in professional development aimed at using the new materials to effectively integrate academic science discourse and literacy development for LTELs.The project will develop two enhanced urban ecology modules (47 lessons) for English learners in grades 4-8; science language and literacy assessments for English language learners (ELLs); an ELL STEM career awareness inventory; an urban ecology for ELLs teacher knowledge scale, and an urban ecology for ELLs pedagogy observation protocol. The materials will be tested with a stratified random sample of students identified by achievement level (low, medium, and high) and linguistic background (mainstream, LTEL, and "at risk" of becoming LTEL). A mixed-methods research design will be used to test the hypothesis that the quantity and quality of LTEL science language and literacy achievement will increase as a result of teacher participation in implementing the newly developed transdisciplinary framework for Urban Ecology for English Learners.