Science Coordinators Advancing a Framework For Outstanding Leadership Development

目前正规科学教育的优先事项包括建立强大的专业学习社区，促进教师、教师领导和学校管理人员的持续专业成长。 该项目通过开发和测试为学区科学协调员设计的专业发展计划来回应这些优先事项。虽然这些科学协调员通常有一定程度的责任，支持科学教师在他们的学区，大多数人被任命为这些领导职位很少或根本没有正式的准备的作用。分配给科学协调员的职责范围因地区而异，但职责通常包括指导教师，选择课程材料，监督科学用品和教室安全，以及倡导科学计划的改进。本项目正在设计和开发的专业发展模式将通过检查参与科学协调员对科学教师和学生的影响进行测试。这项为期四年的探索性研究的目标是确定一个专门的专业发展计划，区科学协调员可以促进他们的成长为教学领导者和他们的学区科学教师的教学实践。更具体地说，该项目将寻求两个研究问题的答案：1）如果有的话，专业发展模式如何影响科学协调员的知识，实践和工作？以及2）如果有的话，参与的科学协调员如何影响正在实施下一代科学标准的科学教师的实践？一个设计为基础的研究方法将被用来开发一个为期两年的专业发展模式，在第一年有80小时的编程，并在第二年30小时。 方案编制将包括面对面和在线会议及模块。混合方法研究计划将比较三组的教学和学习成果：1）由参加专业发展计划的科学协调员和与他们一起工作的科学教师组成的治疗组，2）未参加专业发展计划的科学协调员和与他们一起工作的教师组成的对照组，和3）由没有直接接触科学协调员的科学教师组成的对照组。将通过使用衡量科学协调员如何发展其知识和实践以及如何作为领导者修改其观点的工具来收集定量数据。对教师课堂实践的观察也将记录在案。 定性研究部分将包括访谈，文物检查和焦点小组。发现研究preK-12计划（DRK-12）旨在通过研究和开发创新资源，模型和工具，显着提高preK-12学生和教师的科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）的学习和教学。DRK-12项目中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究以及为拟议项目提供理论和经验依据的先前研究和开发工作的基础上。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Current priorities in formal science education include building strong professional learning communities that foster ongoing professional growth among teachers, teacher leaders, and school administrators. This project responds to these priorities by developing and testing a professional development program designed for school district science coordinators. Though these science coordinators typically have some degree of responsibility for supporting science teachers in their school districts, most individuals appointed to these leadership positions have little or no formal preparation for the role. The range of duties assigned to science coordinators varies greatly from district to district, but duties typically include mentoring teachers, selecting curriculum materials, overseeing science supplies and classroom safety, and advocating for science program improvements. The professional development model being designed and developed by this project will be tested by examining impacts of participating science coordinators on science teachers and their students. The goal of this four-year exploratory study is to determine if a specialized professional development program for district science coordinators can facilitate their growth as instructional leaders and the instructional practices of science teachers of their school districts. More specifically, the project will pursue answers to two research questions: 1) How, if at all, does the professional development model impact the knowledge, practices, and work of the science coordinators? and 2) How, if at all, do participating science coordinators impact the practices of science teachers who are implementing the Next Generation Science Standards? A design-based research approach will be employed to develop a two-year professional development model having 80 hours of programming during the first year, and 30 hours during the second year. Programming will include a blend of face-to-face and online meetings and modules. The mixed-methods research plan will compare teaching and learning outcomes within three groups: 1) The treatment groups consisting of science coordinators who participated in the professional development program, and the science teachers with whom they work, 2) A comparison group of science coordinators who did not participate in the professional development program and the teachers with whom they work, and 3) A comparison group consisting of science teachers who do not have direct access to a science coordinator. Quantitative data will be gathered through use of instruments that measure how science coordinators develop their knowledge and practices, and how they modify their perspectives as leaders. Observations of the classroom practices of teachers will also be documented. The qualitative research component will include interviews, examination of artifacts, and focus groups.The Discovery Research preK-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. 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 award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.