University-School Partnerships: Professional Development of Math and Science Teachers Through Action Research

• In Event: Roundtable Session 5
  In Roundtable Session: Professional Development in Math and Science

Abstract

In our study an analysis was conducted of 82 theses accepted between 2009 and 2015 by teachers completing the Master of Natural Sciences Professional Degree. A majority of the theses reported on action research projects designed by secondary STEM teachers in order to discover useful knowledge about their content and teaching strategies. From it, we discerned features of the environment in which teachers work, kinds of problems they routinely encounter, areas of concern for them, initiatives they are able to take to overcome them, relationships between these issues and the existing literature, and the perspectives of the various sectors of the STEM teaching profession. The value of school-university partnerships demonstrates how STEM faculty influence the practices of secondary STEM teachers.

Authors

• Kim D. MacGregor, Louisiana State University

• James Joseph Madden, Louisiana State University

• Lester Archer, Louisiana State University

• Xue Wen, Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge