Education Commons^™

Leveraging The Epistemic Emotion Of Awe As A Pedagogical Tool To Teach Science, M. Gail Jones, Julianna Nieuwsma, K. Ren Rende, Sarah Carrier, Emma Refvem, Cesar Delgado, Jill Grifenhagen, Pamela Huff

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Awe is a complex emotion theorised to impact science learning and practice. In science education, awe has the potential to motivate explanation-seeking, promote conceptual change, and instill feelings of connectedness to the natural world. This exploratory study examined teachers’ experiences with awe as well as their uses of awe in their science instruction. Thirty-four elementary (grades 4-5; n =14) and middle school (grades 6-7; n = 20) teachers completed a survey of awe perceptions and experiences and participated in a semi-structured interview. Results showed that science teachers report using awe-invoking classroom experiences in a variety of science disciplines with the …

Accelerating High School Students’ Science Career Trajectories Through Non-Formal Science Volunteer Programs, K. Ren Rende, M. Gail Jones, Emma Refvem, Sarah J. Carrier, Megan Ennes

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Extensive research shows that non-formal science education programs effectively build and sustain long-term interest and persistence in science careers. Framed by expectancy-value theory, this study examined the academic and career outcomes of students who participated in a multi-year volunteer program at a science museum. Twenty-one participants were interviewed about their motivations for volunteering and the impact of participation on their science career trajectories. Data were coded for factors related to expectancy-value including goals, motivations, previous non-formal science experiences, and family attitudes towards science and STEM. Results showed participants of the volunteer program pursued science careers at higher rates than the …

We Can Update Our Own Stories: Trans*-Informed Principles For Gender-Inclusive Science Teaching., K. Ren Rende

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Across the United States, Anti-LGBTQ curriculum laws are being passed in staggering numbers, impacting an estimated 25 million children. At a time where a majority of LBGTQ students report feeling unsafe at school, a significant education challenge is how to meet the needs of these students while addressing and dismantling the way the institution of science education continues to uphold systems of oppression. While there have been waves of LGBTQinclusive science education reform, these movements have been stymied by a lack of cohesive guidelines for practice and are generally limited in their inclusion of considerations that attend to the needs …

Field Experience Reimagined: Integrating Microteaches To Foster Preservice Teachers’ Self-Efficacy, Jennifer L. Lemke, Andrea Karpf, Paula M. Jakopovic, Sheryl Mcglamery

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on teacher preparation programs. With field experiences being among the most effective pathways to connect theory to practice and contributing significantly to preservice teachers’ self-efficacy development, teacher preparation programs have had to reimagine these experiences. In this article, the authors share how their teacher preparation program incorporated microteaches to continue fostering self-efficacy during pandemic times and the potential implications of these programmatic adaptations.

Becoming A Stem Teacher: Examining Teachers’ Practice-Linked Identities Through Practice-Based Autobiographies, Kristina Stamatis, Michelle Friend, Paula M. Jakopovic

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

To provide equitable high-quality STEM education, teachers must be prepared to engage with the tools and practices and to adopt STEM identities. This project investigates the ways teachers’ self-described histories and conceptions of materials and relationships embedded in their STEM experiences fostered or inhibited practice-linked STEM identities. Preliminary findings explore how practicing and pre-service educators conceptualize STEM and how their understanding of STEM both supports and challenges their teaching practice.

Supporting And Retaining Early Career Mathematics Teachers Using An Online Community Of Practice, Paula M. Jakopovic, Travis Weiland, Maria Campitelli, Lorraine Males, Lisa Amick

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

This study reports on efforts over several years to design and implement a yearlong intervention intended to support secondary mathematics teachers in their early years of teaching. The intervention is designed to retain early career mathematics teachers in the professions by engaging them in the development of meaningful professional relationships with a school-based mentors, and by creating an online community of practice for support with other professionals. The intervention itself consists of early career teachers and their mentors participating in monthly professional learning activities such as online meetings, videoconferencing panels with experts, and collaborative reading and discussing timely, purposeful, and …

Investigating Individual And Collective Value Within A Network Of Communities Of Practice, Paula M. Jakopovic, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Nina White

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This report examines the value-add of mathematics faculty participating in regional communities of practice (CoPs) embedded within a larger Math CoP network. The CoPs and the network are aimed at fostering the use of teaching with inquiry practices in undergraduate mathematics courses. We examine value found at the individual participant level as well as at the CoP level within the larger network. We present themes identified using Wenger, Traynor and de Laat’s (2011) value framework to illustrate how individuals and CoPs find value within the network. In this paper we provide an initial look at how the network can support …

The Privilege Of Low Pay: Informal Educators’ Perspectives On Workforce Equity And Diversity, K. Ren Rende, K. Fromson, M. G. Jones, M. Ennes

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Despite attempts to diversify the informal science education workforce, institutions like museums, zoos, and aquariums continue to be places of privilege where few can afford to make education a life-long career. This exploratory study examined informal science educators’ perspectives on workforce equity, diversity, and professionalization. Through a nationwide survey and selective interviews, educators (n = 132) were asked about their career motivations and personal and professional challenges faced before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results show that 59% of informal science educators surveyed were considering academic or career changes, citing workplace practices and cultures that perpetuate overwork and underpay …

Salient Experiences In Student Development: Impact Of An Undergraduate Stem Teacher Preparation Program, Amie Sommers, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Paula M. Jakopovic, Julio Rivera, Neal Grandgenett, John A. Conrad, William Tapprich, Christine Cutucache

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

The need for a comprehensive, high-quality pipeline for the development of undergraduate pre-service teachers, especially those that represent a diverse student body, within STEM disciplines is acute. Here, we studied the Noyce SCIENCE program to determine the most impactful experiences offered to undergraduates through the lens of student development theory. We used qualitative coding to analyze data collected from journals written by students of varying backgrounds, and at varying levels within the program (i.e., the Scholar and Intern level) over a 3-year program running period. We observed that faculty mentorship, the ability of undergraduates to mentor others, volunteer experiences, and …

Supporting Teaching And Learning Reform In College Mathematics: Finding Value In Communities Of Practice, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Paula M. Jakopovic, Christine Von Renesse

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Improving college STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) student learning outcomes is an ongoing area of focus in Institutions of Higher Education (IHE). This reform includes challenging, changing, and adapting both teaching practices and the learning environment. Communities of practice (CoPs) can support faculty in making these shifts; however, creating large-scale instructional changes in STEM education requires a more careful look at the existing systems and structures in place. In this paper, we investigate a network of regional CoPs composed mainly of mathematics faculty from IHE focused on teaching with inquiry methods. Understanding what faculty need and value to support their …

Synergies: University-Museum Collaborations, K. Ren Rende, Stephanie Teeter, Lewis Owen

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

The purpose of this report is to provide documentation of the University-Museums Synergies Initiative between a Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences and a Museum of Natural Sciences. The goals of this initiative were to 1)identify specific projects and opportunities might be developed to strengthen the collaboration between institutions and 2) gain a better understanding of MEAS researchers’ and Museum employees' perspectives on university-museum partnerships.

Learning Assistantships In College Mathematics: Value For Preservice Teacher Development, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Paula Jakopovic, Janice Rech, Angie Hodge-Zickerman

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Increasing the participation and achievement of students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) from early grades to college coursework continues to be at the forefront of educational transformations and research. Faculty members at Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) plan, implement, and investigate how program structures might aid in the development, retention, and overall success of undergraduate students in STEM. Active learning classrooms, especially in mathematics, are one way IHE are reforming student learning experiences, and these environments also provide a unique opportunity to engage undergraduate learning assistants with faculty to support near - peer students and deepen their own …

The Next Generation Of Science Educators: Museum Volunteers, Emma Refvem, M. Gail Jones, K. Ren Rende, Sarah Carrier, Megan Ennes

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

There is a growing need for science educators and communicators who can support public understanding of complex science issues. Furthermore, little is known about how to nurture career aspirations for teaching science. This study examined the influence of youth volunteer experiences on career aspirations through a lens of science identity. Twenty-one participants were interviewed about high school volunteer experiences at a science museum. Data were coded for factors related to science identity (recognition, competence, and performance) and career aspirations. Results showed that the museum program contributed to the development of youth volunteers’ science identities through experiences that bolstered individuals’ science …

Coaching To Develop Teacher Professional Noticing: Planning With Students And Mathematics In Mind, Paula M. Jakopovic

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Purpose

This paper examines how intentional mathematics coaching practices can develop teacher professional noticing of “ambitious teaching practices” (NCTM, 2020) through connected, collaborative coaching cycles.

Design/methodology/approach

Narrative analysis is used to examine observations of a mathematics coach and novice teacher to better understand the role of the coach in helping teachers attend to ambitious mathematics teaching (AMT) practices.

Findings

The initial findings of this study suggest that intentional use of focused goals, iterative coaching cycles and a gradual release model of coaching can support shifts in noticing of AMT from being led by the coach to being facilitated by the …

Multilingualism, Nation Branding, And The Ownership Of English In Kazakhstan And Uzbekistan, Madina Djuraeva

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

This study examines the ownership of English and linguistic (in)security of multilingual English learners in two post-Soviet nation-states. Using the chronotopic and scalar analysis of discourse, I examine students’ ideologies of English vis-à-vis their linguistic repertoires in the context of national imaginary and globalization. I utilize the concept of ‘nation branding’ to trace the relationship between language ideologies and broader sociopolitical factors, including neoliberalism. The analysis of 60 individual student interviews revealed that the state-circulated nation-branding discourse is a powerful tool for instilling the sense of linguistic ownership. The findings showed that students in Uzbekistan regard English as opportunistic and …

“You Sound Like A Good Program Manager”: An Analysis Of Gender In Women’S Computing Life Histories, Rose K. Pozos, Michelle Friend

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Through the eyes of professional women in computing, we can better understand the impact of workplace structures, higher education pathways, and the particular closed nature of the tech industry. This study of women’s life histories contributes to the work of in-depth qualitative examinations of CS learning contexts and psychological studies investigating phenomena such stereotype threat which contextualize the experience of women in computing environments. Drawing inspiration from Margolis and Fisher’s work drawing the “blueprints” of the “boy’s clubhouse” of computing education [20], as well as McDermott and Webber’s analysis of when math learning occurs [22], we ask when, where, and …

Campus Stem Innovation From A Foothold In Mathematics: Lessons Learned From A Place Where It Happened, Angie Hodge-Zickerman, Janice Rech, Kelly Gomez Johnson

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

A metropolitan university, has had a productive journey in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), which eventually led to a campus STEM priority, endowed STEM Community Chairs, an increase in external grants, disciplinary degree pathways for high school teachers and even a Citywide STEM Ecosystem organization. Much of this journey surfaced from collaborations originating in mathematics education, which then synergized into campus wide efforts. This article describes one campus’ journey into STEM and how transforming the mathematics teacher education program represented a “springboard” for formalizing STEM collaboration and innovation. It is offered to aid other institutions who want to make …

Developing A Network Of Regional Inquiry-Based Learning (Ibl) Communities: Preliminary Findings & Key Learnings On A Grassroots Initiative, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Paula M. Jakopovic, Patrick X. Ralut

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Finding and creating communities of like-minded colleagues is easier said than done. Instructional and philosophical change, around the practice of inquiry, is complex and therefore, having access to quality resources, expertise and a supportive network can make a big difference. Especially during a global pandemic and sociopolitical unrest, leveraging existing and emerging networks of faculty working jointly on ideas and developing solutions can be advantageous. During this session, participants will hear about the inaugural year of a federally funded network of regional inquiry-based learning communities. Topics covered will include the network's mission and goals, key infrastructure and implementation elements, and …

Beyond Traditional Teacher Preparation: Value-Add Experiences For Preservice Secondary Mathematics Teachers, Paula Jakopovic, Kelly Gomez Johnson

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

The current pool of highly qualified secondary mathematics teachers is woefully inadequate to address the needs of schools across the United States and other countries internationally. In STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) areas, providing quality instruction in a changing world requires continuous change and innovation as programs prepare and train teachers. University teacher preparation programs wrestle with ways to provide wider professional experiences (WPE) within social learning environments called communities of practice (CoP). This qualitative study examines a university-led undergraduate scholarship program, aimed at recruiting, training, and retaining highly qualified secondary preservice mathematics teacher candidates. With increased exposure to mathematics …

Math Escape Rooms: A Novel Approach For Engaging Learners In Math Circles, Janice F. Rech, Paula M. Jakopovic, Hannah Seidl, Greg Lawson, Rachel Pugh

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Engaging middle and high school students in Math Circles requires time, planning and creativity. Finding novel approaches to maintain the interest of a variety of learners can be challenging. This paper outlines a model for developing and implementing math escape rooms as a unique structure for facilitating collaborative problem solving in a Math Circle. These escape rooms were designed and hosted by undergraduate secondary mathematics education majors. We provide possible structures for hosting escape rooms that could translate to a range of settings, as well as reflections and lessons learned through our experiences that could inform practitioners in other settings.

Administrators As Math Leaders: Professional Learning Strategies Through Change, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Tamara Williams, Matthew Scott

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

What’S The Value? Measuring Value In Complex Social Learning Environments With Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Paula M. Jakopovic

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

At the national level, undergraduate mathematics teacher preparation programs are shifting to develop teachers who not only understand current research-informed instructional practices but also have firsthand experiences learning, teaching, and collaborating in student-centered environments (CBMS, 2016). Understanding the degree to which these experiences impact pre-service teachers’ learning is challenging to measure. This paper describes the efforts of a Track 1 National Science Foundation (NSF) Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship grant to recruit and provide wider professional experiences to develop high-quality secondary mathematics teacher candidates and how the research team utilizes a value framework (Wenger, Traynor, & de Laat, 2014) to study …

Supporting Teacher Retention In Diverse Educational Settings (Strides), Lisa Amick, James Martinez, Paula M. Jakopovic

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

The United States faces a continuing shortage of well-prepared secondary mathematics teachers, among the worst of any subject (Malkus, Hoyer, & Sparks, 2015). To address this issue, schools often rely on both inservice professional development, which not all teachers may opt to participate in, as well as initial teacher preparation programs, to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers. The quality of teacher preparation, particularly related to pedagogical practice, significantly impacts new teacher attrition (Ingersoll, Merrill, & May, 2014). Studies find that 50% of all teachers leave the profession within the first five years (Foster, 2010), and the rate of departure …

Learning To Lesson Plan: A Mentor’S Impact On Pre-Service Teachers, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Connie L. Schaffer, Lela E. Nix, H. Emily Hayden

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Lesson planning is considered an essential skill of teachers. As pre-service teachers first encounter the fundamental principles of planning for instruction, the complexity of planning to support the rigorous learning goals of content, curriculum, and individual student needs could be daunting. The mixed methods study explored how mentoring influenced early-program pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997) and progression through stages of concerns (Fuller, 1969) in relation to lesson planning. Participants, secondary early-program pre-service teachers enrolled in a Midwestern teacher preparation program, included a target group who received mentoring and a comparison group who did not. Using constant comparison techniques guided by …

William Frantz Public School: A Case Study In The Politics Of Education, Martha Graham Viator, Connie Schaffer, Meg White

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

No abstract provided.

Conceptualizing Culture How Preservice Teachers In The Rural Midwest Confront Subjectivities, Anne Karabon, Kelly Gomez Johnson

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

This qualitative study examined how elementary and secondary preservice teachers in the rural Midwest conceptualize “culture” and how preservice teachers’ subjectivities and conceptions of culture shape their pedagogical practices. Thirty-six preservice teachers participated in a course on effective planning designed to address topics such as special education, English language learners, race, those living in difficult circumstances, and gender representation. Results reveal that despite exposure to reflections and discussions on privilege and hegemony to confront biases and deficit perspectives, ethnocentrism persisted.

More Than An Anniversary - A Preview Of William Frantz Public School: A Story Of Race, Resistance, Resiliency, And Recovery In New Orleans, Connie Schaffer, Meg White, Martha Graham Viator

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

William Frantz Public School: A Story of Race, Resistance, Resiliency, and Recovery in New Orleans will be released by Peter Lang in 2020. The book examines issues related to public education through events at the iconic William Frantz Public School, one of the first New Orleans public schools to be desegregated in 1960. The book covers important topics such as the resegregation of public schools, systemic racism, poverty, school accountability movements, and proliferatoin of charter schools.

How Teachers Understand The Curriculum And Frameworks They Use, Kristin Vanwyngaarden, Michelle Friend

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This qualitative study investigates and compares teachers’ understanding of two curricular frameworks: Next Generation Science Storylines and the 5E Model. Teachers (grades K-6) participated in a three-week summer workshop designed to introduce elementary teachers to biomechanics, the study of the body in motion and help them develop inquiry-based biomechanics lessons using the NGSS Storyline framework in order to enhance their implementation of interdisciplinary, culturally responsive, and technology-enhanced STEM education. During a follow-up session to the workshop, eleven teachers read an article about implementing biomechanics into school science (Trauth-Nare, Pavilonis, Paganucci, Ciabattoni, & Buckley, 2016); this article used the 5E framework, …

Habitus And Imagined Ideals: Attending To (Un)Consciousness In Discourses Of (Non)Nativeness, Madina Djuraeva, Lydia Catedral

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

This study responds to scholarship that has examined “folk concepts” of (non)nativeness through the lens of imagined ideals of the native speaker, by proposing a framework that integrates both ideals and habits. We operationalize these concepts by drawing from the theoretical notions of chronotope, scale, and habitus. Using data from interviews with Central Asian transnational migrants, we demonstrate how attending to both the habitual and idealized aspects of speakers’ metalinguistic commentary offers a more holistic approach to the study of multilingual repertoires and speakers’ social positionings in relationship to (non)nativeness. Our findings demonstrate how identification as a “(non)native” speaker may …

The Design And Implementation Of An Intervention To Support And Retain Early Career Mathematics Teachers, Lisa Amick, Maria Campitelli, Paula M. Jakopovic, Judy Kysh, Dawn Parker, April Pforts, Travis Weiland, Laura J. Wilding

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This study reports on efforts over several years to design and implement a yearlong intervention intended to support secondary mathematics teachers in their early years of teaching. The intervention is designed to support these teachers’ development of meaningful professional relationships with a school-based mentor and to create an online community of practice for support with other professionals. The intervention itself consists of early career teachers and their mentors participating in monthly professional development sessions such as online meetings, Zoom panels with experts, and collaboratively reading and discussing timely, purposeful, and relevant content. The intervention is designed to not over burden …