The Importance of Developing Teachers' Social Capital to Enhance the Integration of Computational Modeling in the High School Science Classroom

• In Event: Bridging Computational Modeling Tools and Practices Into the Existing Structures of K–16 Environments in Science Education

Abstract

Project Goals
Our research has examined how best to support teachers to implement curriculum and computational models for learning about complex systems. In previous studies, we identified challenges to implementation success, which include teacher’s need to negotiate myriad pedagogical variables simultaneously with their own learning (Yoon et al., 2017a). Skills and knowledge acquisitions may be referred to as human capital (Yoon et al., 2017b). One line of educational research to build human capital is to create PD activities for developing social capital. Studies have shown that a focus on social capital, especially with complex curricular interventions, can improve implementation success (e.g., Yoon et al., 2017b). In this study, we examined the extent to which the intentional use of social capital activities supported shifts in teacher’s abilities and confidence levels in implementing complex systems modeling curricula.

Design Intervention and Data
We worked with nine teachers over two summer and academic years (2012-2013 and 2013-2014). The first PD was focused on developing teachers’ human capital only through hands-on training that required working with and building agent-based simulations. The second PD was focused on increasing teacher’s social capital through intentional strategies aimed to develop social ties, quality of discourse, trust, and access to expertise (Coburn & Russell, 2008). These activities were: seeding peer interaction, collaborative curriculum revision, discussing problems of practice, and peer instruction and demonstration. Two data sources were used to investigate research goals: social network surveys asking teachers to identify who they spoke to for advice, and year-end interviews to identify confidence levels in teaching with project resources and their strategies and willingness to share information about the project.

Findings and Conclusions
Teachers had nearly double the conversations in year one (48 conversations) than in year two (86 conversations). We also noted that more individuals with project-specific areas of expertise were accessed for advice in year two than in year one. Overall, teachers articulated greater confidence in implementing the curriculum in year two than in year one. Year one interviews identified reasons for a lack of teachers’ willingness to share the project with other colleagues. These included the fact that the modeling curriculum was too complex, many competing programs, state testing time constrains, and logistical issues, e.g., lack of computers. However, in year two none of the reasons they had previously articulated for why they didn’t share with others emerged again as issues. Among the reasons for improved confidence in year two, teachers overwhelmingly pointed to increased interaction with peers.

Lessons Learned
We advance the idea that building teacher’s social capital is a critical element of professional development to enhance integration of computer modeling activities in the science classroom. The complex nature of such integration tasks require supports that should come from peers who understand implementation in classrooms best and can serve as on-going sources of advice and expertise.

Author

• Susan A. Yoon, University of Pennsylvania