Exploring Teachers' Learning to Support Rigorous Science Learning Through Collaborative Design

• In Event: Equity in Middle School Science

Abstract

The lessons teachers design and enact play a critical role in engaging students in rigorous science learning. Collaborative design, in which teachers work together to design, enact, and reflect on their teaching, holds potential to support teachers’ learning, but scarce research examines the pathways by which collaborative design can influence teachers’ instructional practices. Examining the teaching and reflective thinking of two science teachers who engaged in collaborative design activities over two years, we found that their enactment practices became more supportive of students’ rigorous learning over time, and that they identified collaborative efforts with teacher educators and partner teachers to plan lessons and analyze videos of instruction as supportive of their learning to enact rigorous instruction.

Authors

• Ryan Coker, Florida State University

• Ozlem Akcil Okan, Florida State University

• Danielle M. Rhemer, Florida State University

• Sierra Morandi, Florida State University

• Jennifer Schellinger, Florida State University

• Miray Tekkumru-Kisa, RAND Corporation

• Sherry A. Southerland, Florida State University