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持续的专业成长。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。尽管这些科学协调员通常有一定程度的责任支持他们所在学区的科学教师，但大多数被任命担任这些领导职位的人很少或根本没有为这一角色做过正式准备。分配给科学协调员的职责范围因区而异，但通常的职责包括指导教师、选择课程材料、监督科学用品和课堂安全，以及倡导科学项目的改进。本项目正在设计和开发的专业发展模式将通过考察参与的科学协调员对科学教师及其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地区科学协调员的专门专业发展计划是否能够促进他们作为教学领导者的成长，以及他们所在学区的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)专业发展模式如何影响科学协调员的知识、实践和工作？2)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？将采用以设计为基础的研究方法，制定一个为期两年的专业发展模式，第一年有80小时的程序编制，第二年有30小时的程序编制。编程将包括面对面和在线会议和模块的混合。混合方法研究计划将在三组中比较教与学的结果：1)由参与专业发展计划的科学协调员及其合作的科学教师组成的治疗组，2)没有参与专业发展计划的科学协调员与他们合作的教师的对照组，以及3)由不能直接接触科学协调员的科学教师组成的对照组。将通过使用工具收集量化数据，这些工具衡量科学协调员如何发展他们的知识和做法，以及他们如何修改他们作为领导者的观点。对教师课堂实践的观察也将被记录下来。定性研究部分将包括访谈、人工制品检查和焦点小组。发现研究PRK-12计划(DRK-12)旨在通过研究和开发创新资源、模型和工具，显著提高Pre-K-12学生和教师在科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)方面的学习和教学。DRK-12计划中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究和先前的研究和开发工作的基础上，为拟议的项目提供了理论和经验上的证明。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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.