High school teacher change, strategies, and actions in a professional development project connecting mathematics, science, and engineering

Abstract

Project Pathways, an NSF Math Science Partnership professional development project, uses four semester-long courses and professional learning communities (PLCs) with the goal of enhancing teacher knowledge, skills and practice. The unifying concept of function is applied to promote conceptual competence in core content subjects and key problem solving processes. Modules integrating math, science, and engineering are delivered in team-based studio labs complemented by associated PLCs. The research question here is, ldquoWhat is the effect of a function-driven joint high school math/science teacher based professional development project on teacher change, strategies, and actions?rdquo The relevance is that it addresses issues about student math and science achievement and the STEM pipeline. Teacher change was evaluated using qualitative analysis of post-class question responses for five factors: creating a math/science teacher culture of collaboration; deepening content understanding by use of function; integrating math, science and engineering; developing inquiry strategies and materials and; promoting metacognition on student thinking for effective learning. For 27 responses, 24 showed positive change shown by shifts for one or more of five factors. Overall, the project created function-infused courses linked with multifaceted, synergistic PLCs that facilitated teacher change, strategies, and actions for improved practice.