Building Capacity for Master Teacher Specialization in STEM Leadership

Central Washington University, Ellensburg WA

Investigators

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national need of building capacity to support and retain effective STEM teachers. It seeks to build curriculum and experiences that prepare emerging STEM leaders by developing a Master Teacher specialization in STEM Leadership. These leaders will promote innovative STEM curriculum in high-need K-12 schools, which in turn can motivate K-12 students from diverse backgrounds to choose STEM careers, and especially STEM teaching careers. Moreover, the STEM leaders will establish community partnerships to promote STEM literacy and relevance to everyday life. This specialization, the first of its kind in Washington state, will build upon existing community partnerships with STEM Networks organized by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Washington STEM to improve STEM education both locally and statewide. This project at Central Washington University includes partnerships with: the Wahluke School District, Educational School District 105, partnered with South Central Washington STEM Network; and Educational School District 171, partnered with the Apple STEM Network. Project goals include to: (1) survey a diverse range of high-need local educational agencies and other STEM education stakeholders to determine needs related to developing a Master Teacher specialization in STEM Leadership; and (2) design a novel, research-informed and National Boards aligned program to provide in-service teachers with a Master Teacher specialization in STEM Leadership responsive to Washington state needs. This work is grounded in literature outlining characteristics of effective teacher leaders who can act as agents for change within their local communities of practice, transforming the conditions for STEM teaching and learning. First, the team will develop, implement, and analyze survey and focus group input from community STEM stakeholders to determine desired attributes of a STEM leader. This input will inform program curriculum and infrastructure for the Master Teacher specialization. The project endeavors to build upon the successes of Central Washington University’s Teach STEM and Noyce Scholarship programs to recruit and prepare STEM teacher leaders. By completing the STEM Leadership program, STEM leaders will improve their own teaching practice, develop knowledge and skills needed to mentor other teachers in best teaching practices, and be prepared to successfully complete National Board Certification if so desired. An external evaluator will provide formative and summative feedback with respect to design processes surrounding the two programmatic goals. This evaluation serves to engender continual improvement and to ensure the success of the development of, and capacity building for, the Master Teacher Specialization in STEM Leadership. Survey results, curriculum-related products, and key findings from the design process will be shared regionally and nationally through regional STEM Networks, presentations at professional meetings, and peer-reviewed journal publications. This Capacity Building 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 STEM teachers to become STEM master teachers in high-need school districts. It also supports research on the persistence, retention, and effectiveness 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.