Abstract:

This presentation discusses a professional development model, developed at California State University, Long Beach, USA, that supports pre-college teachers in using technology in instruction in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The model, Transforming Teaching and Learning through Technology (T2L2T), is part of a longer-term vision to develop sustainable online professional learning communities throughout California that will encourage teacher leadership and pedagogical innovation in STEM teaching. The model incorporates a hybrid university course that is being pilot tested in Spring, 2013 with a group of 23 teachers. This presentation will describe the model and initial findings from the pilot test. The project is made possible by gifts from Google, the 100Kin10 Organization, the Fluor Foundation, the Noyce Foundation, and the Chevron Foundation.

The approach aims to strengthen teaching in STEM subjects by (1) introducing teachers to innovative pedagogical approaches possible with technology and (2) using technology to support and strengthen professional networking among teachers. The approach strongly emphasizes teacher collaboration, while also aiming to strengthen their understanding of pedagogy in connection to content and technology (Koehler & Mishra, 2009). During the course, teachers choose technologies that align with their interests, develop and refine ways of using these technologies in their teaching, and begin using them in the classes they teach.

The course uses a hybrid format combining synchronous and asynchronous communication. It includes a set of videos from innovative thinkers in the field, as well as extensive resources including science and math resources from the Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching (MERLOT) platform (www.merlot.org). It uses social networking tools for peer collaboration and networking. Importantly, the course serves not as an endpoint for instruction but as a catalyst for change—change that includes ongoing teacher professional development practices and peer support. Teachers also use Twitter for networking with teachers in areas of specialized interests.

The presentation will discuss the model and its rationale in greater detail. It will also discuss ways in which teachers’ ideas for integrating technology into STEM teaching developed and evolved via the course. The presentation will describe a selection of cases regarding processes of developing and refining strategies for using technology in lessons. For example, after watching a webinar and discussing it with Google + Hangouts, one group developed plans for incorporating an augmented reality app featured in the webinar. They created a project in which students at one grade level created instruction for students at another using this augmented reality software. The presentation discusses how teachers developed and refined their ideas to create this unit. Another case to be discussed is the development of teachers’ ideas for implementing a “flipped” classroom model in which students watch lectures outside the classroom and use classroom time for small group work that might have been “homework” in a traditional model. The presentation concludes with overall lessons learned from the overall pilot study.

Reference:
Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 60-70.

Keywords:

Teacher training, mathematics, science, technology.