Track
Non-research Project / About SoTL
Abstract
Professional learning communities are commonplace in K-12 education as the avenue through which teachers engage in meaningful professional development. Armstrong MASTERS is an NSF Noyce scholarship program through which we have implemented a novel and replicable model for PLCs, called Future Teacher Professional Learning Communities. In these communities, our Noyce scholars are immersed in research on best-practices in STEM teaching, with an emphasis on active learning. They apply this research to the development and review of classroom materials, and engage in generating new results through classroom research projects with Noyce faculty.
While our FTPLCs exhibit the essential characteristics of learning communities as documented in the literature, they are greatly strengthened by the breadth of their membership. Education and STEM faculty from Armstrong, teachers from local schools, and student scholars share experience and expertise. This composition of educators facilitates the integration of content knowledge, pedagogy, teacher practice knowledge, and research into the development of the Noyce scholars as teachers. In this session, we will describe our PLC model and its outcomes, including the impact on all members. Session participants will engage in and critique several learning community activities, including community building, lesson plan analysis, and production of a collective literature review.
Session Format
Presentation Session
Location
Room 218
Recommended Citation
Hessinger, Sabrina; Gremillion, Sara; Schlieper, Jared; and Zingales, Sarah, "Integrating Research into STEM Teacher Prep through Professional Learning Communities" (2016). SoTL Commons Conference. 2.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sotlcommons/SoTL/2016/2
Integrating Research into STEM Teacher Prep through Professional Learning Communities
Room 218
Professional learning communities are commonplace in K-12 education as the avenue through which teachers engage in meaningful professional development. Armstrong MASTERS is an NSF Noyce scholarship program through which we have implemented a novel and replicable model for PLCs, called Future Teacher Professional Learning Communities. In these communities, our Noyce scholars are immersed in research on best-practices in STEM teaching, with an emphasis on active learning. They apply this research to the development and review of classroom materials, and engage in generating new results through classroom research projects with Noyce faculty.
While our FTPLCs exhibit the essential characteristics of learning communities as documented in the literature, they are greatly strengthened by the breadth of their membership. Education and STEM faculty from Armstrong, teachers from local schools, and student scholars share experience and expertise. This composition of educators facilitates the integration of content knowledge, pedagogy, teacher practice knowledge, and research into the development of the Noyce scholars as teachers. In this session, we will describe our PLC model and its outcomes, including the impact on all members. Session participants will engage in and critique several learning community activities, including community building, lesson plan analysis, and production of a collective literature review.
