T216 Innovative Methods for Broadening Participation in the Geosciences through In-Service Teacher Professional Development

Tuesday, 11 October 2011
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Room 208CD

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TEXAS EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE (TXESS) REVOLUTION MODEL OF IN-SERVICE TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Paper number: T216-8
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 3:15 PM – 3:30 PM

Authors

Abstract

Funded by NSF’s Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences program, the TXESS Revolution has provided high quality professional development to more than 170 minority-serving Texas science teachers from across the state to prepare them to teach a new Earth and Space Science capstone course. Our analysis shows these teachers have since taught at least 21,000 students of which 69% are minorities underrepresented in STEM disciplines. The TXESS revolution model of professional development is built on six key elements: (1) use of authentic geoscience data to teach up-to-date content; (2) ongoing training; (3) partnership with a statewide teacher network; (4) involvement of large geoscience consortia and programs; (5) ongoing evaluation; and (6) providing opportunities for teachers to take on leadership roles through participation in research and curriculum development projects.

Teachers were recruited for the TXESS Revolution primarily through our partnership with a state-funded teacher network focusing on math and science. Teachers committed to attending four training academies over two years (minimum of 96 hours), allowing them to assimilate and integrate what they learned into their classrooms, and share experiences with colleagues. The content of each academy was designed to increase the teachers’ knowledge, not to demonstrate student activities. Visiting scientists from organizations such as NAGT, IRIS, UNAVCO, EarthScope, and Ridge2K presented material. Teachers use active learning strategies in their classrooms; putting them as learners in an active environment demonstrates good pedagogy and helps them see how they can use their knowledge in their classrooms. Some teachers were involved more deeply in ancillary research or curriculum development projects. In order to be sure we were meeting the needs of teachers, ongoing evaluation helped shape the format and content of the academies that followed.

Taken together, these characteristic combine to create a successful program of professional development to meet the challenge of broadening diversity in the geosciences. At the state level, the TXESS Revolution addressed the Texas Education Agency’s goal to improve earth science education by providing a pool of highly qualified earth science teachers for Earth and Space Science.