Learning Assistant Model of Teacher Education in Science and Technology

University Of Colorado At Boulder, Boulder CO

Investigators

Abstract

The "Learning Assistant Model for Teacher Education in Science and Technology (LA-TEST)" research project is testing the effectiveness of the 'Learning Assistant Model' for recruiting, preparing, and retaining STEM K-12 teachers. Talented undergraduate STEM majors are hired as Learning Assistants (LAs) to work with STEM faculty to transform undergraduate courses. These LAs are the target of teacher recruitment efforts. Fifteen percent of the STEM majors who have participated as LAs have decided to become K-12 teachers as a result of their LA experience, most of whom have formally committed to teach in high-needs school districts. Three specialized research teams are investigating the development of content and pedagogical knowledge among LAs, as well as their teaching practices. The work of each research team is being synthesized to demonstrate the effectiveness of the LA model for improving secondary and post-secondary STEM and teacher education. This project has broader impacts including the development of a suite of survey instruments that can be used by researchers interested in testing the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs or course transformations in general, or conceptual or pedagogical knowledge specifically. The LA model itself can be used as a mechanism for recruiting teachers, enhancing student knowledge and facilitating the transition of STEM majors from two- to four-year colleges. The project's intellectual merit is evidenced by its multi-disciplinary nature involving a broad range of expertise, research methodologies and contexts. This project is producing a more complete picture of the teacher professional continuum focusing not only on teacher certification programs and K-12 contexts but also on students' experiences in STEM departments and the role of STEM research faculty in preparing future teachers.