The Role of School Leaders in Developing an Intentional and Innovative STEM Curriculum: A Case Study in a High-Needs Secondary School in Belize

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 35
  In Roundtable Session: Examining Teacher Efficacy and Politicized Curriculums in Belize, Africa, and the Caribbean

Abstract

This study examined how school leaders made decisions about the content of the STEM curriculum; how STEM was enacted, and; what were students’ reflections based on their experiences. School leaders emphasized four main themes: opportunities for access to school and community-based experiences, opportunities to contribute to the economics of their community, professional development for teachers, and, address administrative and logistical issues. For school leaders, expectations for STEM reflected the global urgency of preparing students to understand their environment and use knowledge to create sustainable economic opportunities within their communities. Science inquiry experiences were provided through field-based investigations and school-community project-based experiences. This study has implications for our understanding of the role of leadership in promoting STEM in developing nations.

Authors

• Noemi Waight, University at Buffalo - SUNY

• Stephen L. Jacobson, University at Buffalo - SUNY

• Lorenda Chisolm, Chisolm Educational Consulting