The Impact of Virtual Professional Development on Science Teachers' Fidelity of Implementation in a Randomized Study

• In Event: 81.030 - Science Teaching and Learning SIG Paper Session: Problem Solving and Inquiry

Abstract

Using a low inference observation instrument, we investigated the effect of an ongoing, intensive, and structured virtual professional development (VPD) with Virtual Mentoring and Coaching (VMC) on grade 5 science teachers’ fidelity of implementation (FOI) across conditions in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) study implemented in 35 Texas school districts. The observations were collected three times at the beginning, middle, and the end of the school year. The results indicated that compared with teachers in control condition, experimental teachers demonstrated statistically higher FOI with the support of ongoing, structured, and intensive VPD.

Authors

• Rafael Lara-Alecio, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Beverly J. Irby, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Fuhui Tong, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Cindy Lynn Guerrero, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Shifang Tang, East Texas A&M University

• Zhuoying Wang, University of Texas at Austin

• Fubiao Zhen, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Roya Pashmforoosh, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Sharmila Pathikonda, Texas A&M University - College Station