Building Pedagogical Design Capacity through Conceptually Rich Professional Learning

• In Event: Adaptation of Science Instructional Materials: Localizing Curriculum Materials to Support Equitable Sensemaking

Abstract

Objectives and Theoretical Framework

While preparing science teachers to utilize HQIM is viewed as a key mechanism for shifting science instruction (e.g. Short & Hirsch, 2020), recent studies reveal that few middle and high school science teachers utilize these materials, even when they are recommended or required by their school or district (Doan et al., 2023). These findings point to the importance of supporting teachers in building a well-grounded framework for selecting, evaluating, modifying and adapting a variety of curriculum materials. This study reports on the design and implementation of a professional development (PD) experience that aimed at developing teachers’ pedagogical design capacity (PDC; Brown, 2009). Specifically, we designed the PD with the goal of increasing teachers’ ability to make curricular adaptations with attention to student agency and empowerment. To do so, we designed activities to attune teachers’ attention to how discourse moves can help redistribute power dynamics between teachers and students and among students (Authors, 2019). We also engaged teachers in activities to highlight how prioritizing community cultural wealth and partnering with community-based organizations can help students make connections between their communities, local phenomena and classroom science learning (Morales-Doyle, 2019; Yosso, 2005). We explored these rich conceptual ideas with teachers as partners, co-investigators and learners, and then leveraged these ideas as “lenses” for adapting the curriculum materials that teachers planned to use in the following academic year.

Data Sources and Analysis

Participants included six high school teachers in the Central U.S. (20 hours of PL) and five middle and high school teachers in the West (32 hours of PL), who teach courses in biology, earth science, and chemistry. Teachers brought a range of curriculum materials to the workshops, including district-authored, teacher-created, and storyline curricula. Each PL series positioned teachers as learners and collaborators. Teachers engaged in reading and discussion of literature, collaborative sensemaking activities, and analysis of classroom artifacts (e.g., student work, video) to explore what these conceptual ideas look like in practice. Time was also dedicated to adapting curriculum units teachers planned to use in the coming academic year using these conceptual tools. We collected video/audio recordings of all sessions and teacher journal entries, analyzing both whole-group interactions and individual engagement. We examined how teachers’ understanding of the constructs evolved and how this influenced their curriculum adaptation decisions.

Results and Significance

Our findings indicate that teachers in both districts made principled curriculum adaptations aligned with their growing understanding of the focal constructs. For instance, one teacher reimagined a discussion planning tool—originally designed for teacher facilitation—to instead scaffold student-led dialogue, drawing on her insights into epistemic agency. Another teacher proposed redesigned a chemistry unit on water contamination to incorporate community partnerships and local issues, reflecting an emergent understanding of community cultural wealth. This session will share illustrative cases from each site, highlighting how specific PL activities supported teachers in developing PDC and making purposeful changes to their curriculum. We offer implications for the design of equity-oriented, conceptually grounded professional learning.

Authors

• Mon-Lin Ko, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Nga Hoang, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Melissa R. Campanella, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Kerri Wingert, Good Question Research & Evaluation