Initiative on K-12 Teacher Preparation Natasha Speer, Univ. of Maine Tim Scott and Omah Williams, Texas A & M Noah Finkelstein, Univ. Colorado-Boulder

The challenges National need for more and better- prepared K-12 STEM teachers. Disconnect between content courses and the work of teaching. Need for productive collaborations between educators of K-12 teachers and content faculty.

The goals of the Initiative Increase grads-through-faculty awareness of roles they play (and/or could play) in K-12 teacher preparation. Enhance grads-through-faculty capacity to participate in teacher preparation. Equip grads-through-faculty with knowledge and tools to improve teachers content preparation. Encourage grads-through-faculty to portray K- 12 teaching as a rewarding, valued career choice.

Three central activities What can we learn from what others have done? What can we learn from what we are doing? What do STEM grads-through-faculty know about teacher preparation and K- 12 education?

FocusActivities(Anticipated) Products Learning from others Learning from each other Learning about STEM grads- through-faculty

FocusActivities(Anticipated) Products Learning from others Review/synthesize research literature Review/synthesize program and project reports Summaries of what is known about influences on teachers and their students learning Images of what participating in and collaborating on teacher prep. can look like Learning from each other Learning about STEM grads- through-faculty

FocusActivities(Anticipated) Products Learning from others Review/synthesize research literature Review/synthesize program and project reports Summaries of what is known about influences on teachers and their students learning Images of what participating in and collaborating on teacher prep. can look like Learning from each other Documenting components of programs/projects for STEM folk that relate to teacher preparation Analyzing data from research on teaching practices in STEM courses Resources/guides for offering programs/projects Descriptions of effective practices Learning about STEM grads- through-faculty

FocusActivities(Anticipated) Products Learning from others Review/synthesize research literature Review/synthesize program and project reports Summaries of what is known about influences on teachers and their students learning Images of what participating in and collaborating on teacher prep. can look like Learning from each other Documenting components of programs/projects for STEM folk that relate to teacher preparation Analyzing data from research on teaching practices in STEM courses Resources/guides for offering programs/projects Descriptions of effective practices Learning about STEM grads- through-faculty Develop and administer survey to ascertain what grads-through- faculty know about teacher preparation Develop fact sheets to help grads-though-faculty learn more Gather information from participants in productive collaborations (what shared understanding is necessary to collaborate?) Surveys for use by others Customizable fact sheets for each STEM discipline Advice about establishing shared understanding in collaborations

FocusActivities(Anticipated) Products Learning from others Review/synthesize research literature Review/synthesize program and project reports Summaries of what is known about influences on teachers and their students learning Images of what participating in and collaborating on teacher prep. can look like Learning from each other Documenting components of programs/projects for STEM folk that relate to teacher preparation Analyzing data from research on teaching practices in STEM courses Resources/guides for offering programs/projects Descriptions of effective practices Learning about STEM grads- through-faculty Develop survey to ascertain what grads-through-faculty know about teacher preparation Develop fact sheets to help grads-though-faculty learn more Gather information from participants in productive collaborations Surveys for use by others Customizable fact sheets for each STEM discipline Advice about establishing collaborations

Activities and evaluation plans – Colorado – Course: Teaching and Learning Physics –Readings, physics content, teaching experiences –Graduate and undergraduate students Products –Instructional materials from the course –Model for such courses, customizable to other disciplines Evaluation –Track dissemination of materials –Track use/customization of materials

Activities and evaluation plans – Colorado – Seminar: Preparing Future Physics Faculty –Voluntary –Teaching, education, other topics Products –Sample of content and organization of such a seminar –Example discussion topics, useful resources –Reports of evaluation of usefulness of the seminar Evaluation –Potential site for use of project materials –Track dissemination of materials

Activities and evaluation plans – Colorado – Research: Faculty teaching practices –Peer instruction –Tutorials –Examining faculty conceptions and actions Products –Findings about implementation of popular instructional activities –One-pagers about the use of these instructional activities Evaluation –Track dissemination of materials –Track use/application of materials in grad student and faculty professional development activities/programs

Activities and evaluation plans – Texas A&M – Research: Biology Courses for K – 12 Pre-/In- Service teachers –NSF funded programs as primary focus –Collect and summarize common themes, best practices, and less successful strategies Products –Literature review/summary of highlighted programs –Presentation of highlighted outcomes Evaluation –Track dissemination of materials –Collect feedback from CIRTL reviewers

Activities and evaluation plans – U. Maine – Survey development: To gather information about STEM grads-through-faculty familiarity with teacher prep –Generating questions –Pilot/validity testing questions Products –Survey that can be customized to other fields –Findings from administering survey Evaluation –Findings from pilot/validity testing –Track dissemination/use of survey