Teacher Perceptions of Their Context: Influences on Next Generation Science Standards Implementation

• In Event: Implementing Common Core Math and Next Generation Science Standards: Variation, Supports, and Barriers

Abstract

This study examines teachers’ perceptions of contextual factors that influence their use of instructional strategies aligned with the NGSS. The backdrop is a large urban school district wherein elementary and middle grades teachers participated in a four year PD program. The Framework for School Growth (Shefner, Abraham, Holmes, & Wenzel, 2017) guided the design of the study (Figure 1); in the first years of a project teacher leaders (in the center of the figure) were engaged solely as learners (at stage A and B in the figure), processing, implementing, and reflecting on the information they received in PD sessions. In later years, the focus of supports was to help teacher leaders within the context of their own schools, as they disseminated project material at their schools (stage C), and learned how to facilitate whole school collaboration (stage D). For this strategy to lead to whole school implementation of NGSS, there were many contextual factors that arose at all stages that needed to be considered. This study examined which contextual factors were most influential for implementation at different stages of the model.

Authors

• Rachel Shefner, Loyola University Chicago

• Nayantara Abraham, Loyola University Chicago

• Stacy A. Wenzel, Loyola University Chicago