The involvement of STEM disciplinary faculty in efforts to improve mathematics and science education has been an integral aspect of the Math and Science Partnership program. MSP leaders report that STEM disciplinary faculty play a wide variety of roles in their programs. What do we know about the contributions of STEM disciplinary faculty involved in efforts aimed at deepening teachers’/teacher leaders’ mathematics/science content knowledge? What have we learned from the MSP efforts about selecting, orienting, and supporting STEM disciplinary faculty for these roles?
The MSP Knowledge Management and Dissemination project conducted a systematic review of the empirical literature related to deepening teachers’ mathematics/science content knowledge. Nine of the research studies identified in this review investigated professional development programs that were explicit about the involvement of STEM disciplinary faculty in deepening teacher content knowledge. Although no studies investigated the unique contribution of involving STEM disciplinary faculty in deepening teacher content knowledge, consistent positive results across the programs support claims regarding the effectiveness of involving STEM faculty in deepening teachers’ mathematics/science content knowledge.
The MSP KMD project has also focused on collecting and synthesizing practice-based insights from the MSP community on the involvement of STEM disciplinary faculty in deepening teacher/teacher leader content knowledge. The following topics will be explored in a continuing series on STEM disciplinary faculty involvement in the MSP.
- Selecting STEM disciplinary faculty—MSPs offer advice on how to identify STEM disciplinary faculty who are likely to be successful in roles related to deepening teacher content knowledge. Sample insight: Although deciding which STEM faculty to involve in deepening teacher/teacher leader content knowledge will depend to some extent on the particular roles STEM disciplinary faculty will play, it is generally important to consider selecting individuals who are open-minded, flexible, and reflective about their own teaching.
- Orienting STEM disciplinary faculty to the work—MSPs offer advice on how to go about orienting STEM disciplinary faculty to the work, including how to help faculty come to a shared vision of the work and grounding them in the world of K–12 education. Sample insight: Establishing a collaborative culture among STEM disciplinary faculty and teachers/teacher leaders right from the start is key, but this is not “one and done;” efforts must be ongoing.
- Supporting and scaffolding the work of STEM disciplinary faculty—Careful selection and orientation of STEM disciplinary faculty are necessary, but not sufficient. MSPs offer advice on providing ongoing support to ensure that STEM faculty (and others) are effective in their roles in deepening teacher/teacher leader content knowledge. Sample insight: When supporting STEM disciplinary faculty in developing skills for direct work with teachers/teacher leaders, it is helpful to scaffold their preparation by first having them engage in the work as learners, and then assist in implementing content-deepening experiences, before taking the lead.
- Providing incentives for STEM disciplinary faculty participation in ongoing MSP work—STEM disciplinary faculty have competing priorities. MSPs offer advice on how to remove obstacles to and provide incentives for STEM disciplinary faculty participate in MSP work. Sample insight: Highlighting the scholarship aspects of the MSP effort is a way to pique STEM disciplinary faculty’s interest and continued involvement in the work.
Practice-based Insight Methodology
The knowledge of individuals experienced in teacher leadership in mathematics and science adds substantially to what we know from research about how to develop and support teacher leaders. Two main strategies were used to systematically gather and synthesize practice-based insights from practitioners in the area of teacher leadership. The first was interviews with Principal Investigators of a number of NSF-supported MSP projects, gathering insights from their experience working with teacher leaders in various capacities. The second was online practitioner panels with individuals who have extensive and varied experience in teacher leadership.
Initial interviews with MSP Principal Investigators were conducted with a sample of 27 MSP projects targeting teachers of mathematics and/or science within the entire K-12 spectrum. While these interviews were focused on “lessons learned” as MSPs engaged in work to deepen teacher content knowledge, many of the “lessons” were pertinent to teacher leadership and were included in our synthesis of practice-based insights.
The online panels involved the identification of a group of individuals, including MSP project leaders, with broad experience in efforts to develop, utilize, and support teacher leaders, either as designers/implementers of teacher leadership programs or as observers of teacher leadership efforts (e.g., as evaluators or researchers). Through multiple rounds in an online survey format, panelists reflected on statements about teacher leader selection, preparation, or practice; reflected on conditions elicited from their responses to these statements; and reflected on a summary of these conditions in the form of advice to the field. The analysis of panelists’ responses in each round informed the questions and statements that were posed in subsequent rounds.
All practice-based data collected were coded by strategies to select, prepare, and employ teacher leaders to improve mathematics or science teaching and learning. Any conditions for effective teacher leader practice were specified, and examples to illustrate these practices were reviewed. Separate summaries of these analyses were written for insights related to various strategies teacher leaders use to provide support to classroom teachers; to preparing teacher leaders; and to selecting and placing teacher leaders. These insights were subsequently reviewed and vetted by a number of focus groups of MSP leaders. Examples from MSP practice were elicited and added to the insights.
A more thorough discussion of our process for gathering and synthesizing practice-based insights is available here, in a paper presented at the 2008 AERA conference.
Currently, additional insights and examples are being collected through this online dissemination site. The information practitioners provide through this website will be included in subsequent analyses as the online dissemination site is periodically updated.