Washington STEM Teachers Engaging in Leadership, Learning, And Research

该项目旨在满足国家发展和留住不同STEM教师领导人的需求。它旨在通过发展和支持整个华盛顿州的STEM教学变革代理网络来确保模范STEM教师领导人。使用一个新的中央华盛顿大学硕士学位课程在干领导作为网络枢纽，这些教师领导人预计将指导其他干教师在当地的高需求区使用包容性的干教学实践。该项目旨在通过发展STEM教师的知识，技能和观点，以文化上敏感的方式提供教学，使来自历史上服务不足的社区和STEM学科代表性不足的背景的学生特别受益。教师领导人预计将通过连接学生与适当的STEM社区合作伙伴增加STEM的相关性。这些努力旨在让所有学习者更充分地参与STEM，这可能有助于发展更多样化的STEM劳动力。中央华盛顿大学的这个项目包括与麦克法兰中学、瓦鲁克学区、亚基马学区、教育服务区（ESD）112和121、职业连接SW STEM网络（与ESD 112合作），Apple STEM Network（与ESD 171合作）和太平洋西北国家实验室。项目目标包括通过发展硕士教师研究员（MTF）的能力来发展STEM教学变革推动者网络，以领导其他STEM教师使用文化响应教学法，整合基于项目的STEM课程，并纳入真实的评估实践。 另一个目标是通过一个有效的网络来支持MTF的系统性变革努力，该网络促进了广泛的STEM利益相关者之间的合作，包括STEM教师，管理人员和社区/行业合作伙伴。MTFs将研究同伴指导和教练框架，以发展使用教练周期和有效策略的技能，以支持其他STEM教师的有效性。 共有16个不同的K-12，经验丰富和示范性的STEM教师将被选择和支持作为MTFs超过六年，通过集体调查周期在当地环境（学校/地区）领导教学变革工作。预计MTF将在当地范围内并通过在线门户网站向全州STEM利益相关者的更大网络传播这些合作调查项目的结果。这是为了扩大对教育系统的多个层次如何协同工作，以加强STEM教学和学习的理解。该项目的研究和评估工作有可能确定Keck/PKAL模型在促进跨机构K-12设置的系统性变化方面的有效性（即，跨学校，地区），从而有助于支持网络化变革以改善STEM教学的研究。这个轨道3：硕士教学奖学金项目是通过罗伯特诺伊斯教师奖学金计划（诺伊斯）的支持。诺伊斯计划支持有才华的STEM本科专业和专业人士成为有效的K-12 STEM教师和经验丰富的模范K-12教师，成为高需求学区的STEM硕士教师。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。

The project aims to serve the national need of developing and retaining diverse STEM teacher leaders. It seeks to secure exemplary STEM teacher leaders by growing and supporting a network of STEM instructional change agents across Washington state. Using a novel Central Washington University Master’s degree program in STEM Leadership as a network hub, these teacher leaders are expected to guide other STEM teachers in their local high-need districts to use inclusive STEM teaching practices. The project is designed to especially benefit students from historically underserved communities and backgrounds underrepresented in STEM disciplines by developing the knowledge, skills, and perspective of STEM teachers to provide instruction in culturally responsive ways. The teacher leaders are expected to increase the relevance of STEM by connecting students with appropriate STEM community partners. Such efforts intend to allow for fuller participation in STEM by all learners, which may contribute to the development of a more diverse STEM workforce.This project at Central Washington University includes partnerships with McFarland Middle School, Wahluke School District, Yakima School District, Educational Service Districts (ESDs) 112 and 121, Career Connect SW STEM Network (partnered with ESD 112), Apple STEM Network (partnered with ESD 171), and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Project goals include growing a network of STEM instructional change agents by developing Master Teacher Fellows’ (MTFs) capacity to lead other STEM teachers in using culturally responsive pedagogy, integrating project-based STEM curriculum, and incorporating authentic assessment practices. Another goal is supporting the systemic change efforts of MTFs through an effective network that promotes collaboration among a wide range of STEM stakeholders, including STEM teachers, administrators, and community/industry partners. MTFs will study peer mentoring and coaching frameworks to develop skills in using a coaching cycle and effective strategies in support of other STEM teachers’ effectiveness. A total of 16 diverse K-12, experienced and exemplary teachers of STEM are to be selected and supported as MTFs over six years to lead instructional change efforts in their local contexts (school/district) through cycles of collective inquiry. MTFs are expected to disseminate findings from these collaborative inquiry projects both within their local contexts and via an online portal to the larger network of STEM stakeholders statewide. This is intended to expand understanding of how multiple levels of the education system can work synergistically to enhance STEM teaching and learning. The project’s research and evaluation efforts have the potential to ascertain the efficacy of the Keck/PKAL model in facilitating systemic change in cross-institutional K-12 settings (i.e., across schools, districts), and thus contribute to the growing body of research on supporting networked change to improve STEM instruction. This Track 3: Master Teaching Fellowships project is supported through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce). The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 STEM teachers and experienced, exemplary K-12 teachers to become STEM master teachers in high-need school districts. It also supports research on the effectiveness and retention of K-12 STEM teachers in high-need school districts.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.