University-Based High School STEM Camp

• In Event: 25.059 - Examining the Impacts of Practicum-Based Professional Development

Abstract

Objective & Perspective
This program is designed to improve teachers' ability to enact pedagogical strategies and materials consistent with recent STEM reforms that include such practices as integrating engineering and science practices; being technology-rich and focusing on meaningful content. The program began in the summer and consisted of 15 consecutive days, Mon-Fri., for seven hours per day. Each day of the program consisted of three main components: 1) a morning STEM content portion; 2) a pedagogical portion consisting of practice teaching to high school students and; 3) a critical reflection of instructional practices. In addition, the use of pre-selected curricular materials provides cohesion among the different portions of the day.

Method
Two main sources of data were utilized in this study: evaluations of video-recorded lessons and teacher reflective journals. Video data were collected before, as well as twice during Post-Institute classroom enactments (Lessons 1 and 2) using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) (Sawada et al., 2002). Lesson 1 was a “hands-on” activity focused on the introduction of concepts associated with heat transfer. Lesson 2 was the first day of a multiple day lesson in which students begin to design plans for their hemodialysis systems. As part of the Institute application teacher-participants was asked to submit a videotape of their best inquiry/design-based lesson. Twelve teachers participated in the Summer Institute.
The mean RTOP scores associated for the total as well as for each of the individual subscales demonstrated the same increasing pattern of increasing classroom use of reform-based pedagogies. Analysis to determine whether RTOP scores were statistically significant was determined using a repeated measures analysis of variance. Findings demonstrated that RTOP subscale scores were statistically significant among the three various lessons. A follow-up analysis utilizing a Least Significant Difference Comparison demonstrated that the scores were significantly different for multiple RTOP subscales between the pre and the two post lessons. Lesson 2 demonstrated significant differences (p<.05) on three subscales (Propositional and Procedural knowledge as well as Classroom Culture). This analysis also demonstrated that the “pre” and “Lesson 1” scores were significantly different (p<.01)for two of the RTOP subscales (Propositional and Procedural Knowledge.)

Findings & Significance
These findings are consistent with previously reported findings associated with the use of practicum-based professional development systems (Lotter et al., 2013; Singer et al., 2011; Rushton et al., 2011) Rushton et al. (2011) and Lotter et al. (2013) employed a similar professional development model working with high school chemistry and biology teachers while Singer et al. (2011) worked with middle school science teachers. Rushton (2011) reported that the combination of the morning content and the practice teaching sessions played a significant impact for shifting the instructional practices of the participating high school chemistry teachers. “The program’s emphasis on the content instructor’s modeling of content-specific inquiry lessons coupled with the practice teaching with high school students and intensive teacher reflection led to the greatest changes in teachers beliefs about instructions – pg 41.”

Author

• Jonathan E Singer, University of Maryland - Baltimore County