Developing a Professional Learning Program for Informal STEM Education Facilitators

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Six
  In Roundtable Session: Section 1C Mathematics Roundtable Four (Table 10)

Abstract

Little is known about informal STEM education professional learning (PL) to support youth learning. We describe five design principles constructed from the literature which inform our PL model. Preliminary findings from afterschool implementations of Growing Mathletes show that facilitators learned mostly from the initial training; understood the content; felt prepared to implement lessons; did well in engaging youth in equitable participation, purposeful activities, and STEM; and they consistently showed positive relationships with youth. In further iterations of our PL program, we will provide more pedagogical support during initial training, more reflective coaching sessions, and more opportunities for facilitators to collaborate, in order to enable facilitators to better support youth content learning, use extended reflection, and engage youth in math practices.

Authors

• Christina Baze, Northern Arizona University
  Presenting Author

• Sanlyn Buxner, University of Arizona
  Non-Presenting Author

• Erin Turner, University of Arizona
  Non-Presenting Author

• Christopher M Rendes, University of Arizona
  Non-Presenting Author

• Seneca Beth Miller, University of Arizona
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ricardo Valerdi, University of Arizona
  Non-Presenting Author