SHARING STRATEGIES / GAINING NEW IDEAS

NSF Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12)

Third Annual Projects Meeting.

Crystal City, Virginia

October 31 to November 1, 2002

The meeting was jointly planned and convened by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and attended by approximately 300 representatives from 73 GK-12 sites funded between 1999 and 2002. The meeting featured:

• A keynote speech by Dr. Rita Colwell, the Director of the National Science Foundation,
• Poster sessions highlighting project activities and outcomes,
• Presentations of representative activities by selected projects, and
• Opportunities for the attendees to discuss:
• Strategies for organizing, implementing, and sustaining projects;
• Challenges and possible solutions; and
• Promising outcomes of their efforts.

These proceedings contain the following records of the meeting:

• Presentations
• Keynote Speech by Dr. Rita Colwell, Director of the National Science Foundation
• GK-12 in 2002, Statistics and Findings by Dr. Terry Woodin, Program Director
• Findings of Discussion Sections
• Impacts of GK-12 projects (Table I)
• Advice for current and future project leaders (Tables II-V)
• Questions Guiding the Discussion Groups
• Next Steps
• Agenda

Presentations

Keynote Speech by Dr. Rita Colwell, Director of the National Science Foundation (full text)

Dr. Colwell reflected on the progress of the GK12 program and its importance to building bridges between the nation’s educational systems. She cited some of the exciting results of the programs in the K-12 schools and the benefits for the graduate teaching Fellows. She declared that GK-12 is a flagship program for NSF because it embodies aspects of the Foundation’s focus on interdisciplinary areas, lifelong learning, the close connection between education and research, and the willingness to take risks. Dr. Colwell ended with a charge from the Committee of Visitors, an evaluation team that reviewed GK12: “It is time to begin to reap the benefits from the tremendous success of this program, and to argue for its sustainability at NSF, in higher education, K-12 education, and society at large.”

STATISTICS AND FINDINGS CONCERNING GK-12 in 2002:

Based on material in project reports as compiled by

Dr. Terry Woodin, Program Director, Division of Graduate Education

In 2002, 79 projects in 39 states were engaged in GK-12 efforts. Below is a synthesis of the data on project activities/practices, outcomes, and impact.

Project Activities/Practices

Most projects conduct introductory workshops in the summer:

• Many but not all include teachers
• Some offer credit to the teacher and/or Fellows participating
• Some use experienced Fellows and teachers as guides, mentors and leaders.

Most projects are producing materials:

• They tend to reflect local needs and resources
• Some have been adapted by commercial publishers
• Some relate to the use of exemplary new curricula or kits
• Some are on the web

Some projects engage in activities not initially expected for this program, but which seem to greatly enhance the impact of the program. These include:

• Interact with parents and ask for their input on evaluation
• Survey research advisors as well as teachers and fellows
• Involve students and teachers in publishable research
• Include heavy involvement of school district administrators
• Feature international opportunities
• Leverage infrastructure or other resources

Examples of Promising Outcomes with GK12 as a Catalyst

• A Philadelphia inner city high school has its first AP class—in chemistry
• At a Seattle inner city school where few if any 4^th graders met the standard on state math tests, 45.5% met or exceeded it in 2002
• A Hawaii teacher who previously rarely included much science in her class has been nominated by her principal as a Presidential Awardee for Science Teaching
• In Puerto Rican schools, children and teachers now have an annotated set of information about local coral reefs
• An Arizona high school has access to a telescope and help using it
• At an Ohio university, the College of Science is considering modeling their graduate assistant training after their GK12 model

Examples of Participants’ Comments about the Impact/Benefits of GK-12

K-12 Teachers Comments about their students’ reactions:

• They have begun to think of themselves as college material
• They have increased their science vocabulary
• They are becoming increasingly enthusiastic about science
• There is improved performance on exams
• There is better attendance when the Fellows come to the classroom
• They respect and even idolize the fellows.

Principal Investigators’ comments about teachers and Fellows:

• Teachers receive ongoing, on-site help from STEM professionals with whom they can discuss content and pedagogy.
• Fellows participate in a unique professional development opportunity that will transform them as future scientists and faculty members

Fellows’ comments about their experiences:

• This experience will affect the way I teach as a faculty member
• It has opened my eyes to the value of working in K-12 schools
• I now approach problems differently
• Working with the other Fellows has helped me realize the interdependence of all science
• It has improved my ability to communicate ideas to my peers and the public
• I have learned to juggle multiple responsibilities
• It does not seem to lengthen time to degree
• It has helped me write more clearly and directly—important for my thesis work

Findings of Discussion Sections

There were two types of discussion sections: Birds of a Feather, organized by the roles of the attendees (Principal Investigators, Graduate Fellows, K-12 teachers and school administrators, project managers, and evaluators) and Topics of Interest, addressing specific issues (Fellow and teacher roles, project evaluation and accountability, and disseminating information) framed in prior consultation with current PIs). Project teams from specific geographic areas were the discussants in each of these sessions. (The questions that helped frame the small group discussions are listed elsewhere in the Proceedings.)

The findings reflect what the attendees found important and provide a valuable set of guidelines for both current and future actions by those contemplating enriching their graduate education program with efforts similar to GK-12 and entering into effective K-12/university partnerships. The information is organized in five tables.

Table I: Outcomes: Impacts of the Partnerships as Observed by Participants (Universities, K-12 Schools, Fellows, Teachers, Students)

Table II: Organizing and Implementing GK12 Programs (Recruitment/Selection of Fellows and Teachers and Preparing/Training Partners)

Table III: Evaluating GK-12 Programs (Tools/Strategies, Problems, Suggestions for Improvement)

Table IV: Disseminating Information about GK12 (Public Arenas and Professional/University-Sponsored Venues)

Table V: Sustaining GK12 Programs (Appropriate/Important Partners and Strategies for Engaging/Using These Partners)

Table 1: Outcomes -- Impacts of the Partnerships as Observed by Participants

Universities	K-12 Schools	Fellows	Teachers	Students
Changes perspectives of faculty and administration on what graduate student education should include (an important culture change)	Changes the culture of classroom science—students acquire strong skills in STEM, and use STEM terminology and methodology appropriately and comfortably.	Improve communication skills, e.g., in oral exams, dealing with advisors, making presentations, etc.	Gain confidence to teach subjects that they may have felt uncomfortable teaching before and to share new knowledge in varied settings	Learning more content than their peers, as documented by increased scores on standardized tests
Builds and ensures continued collaboration among K-12 schools, school districts and universities, and between disciplines within the university	Creates new collaborations among teachers, schools, school districts, and universities	Strengthen content knowledge and use it in different and creative ways as they help teacher and students understand STEM concepts	Improve or gain new content knowledge as well as using new and refined curriculum and related technologies.	Learn mathematics using practical approaches in modeling and solving problems; gain deeper understanding of science, scientific process, and nature of science
Increases general interest in outreach to the wider community	Raises awareness of STEM issues in the K-12 community		Increase number of inquiry-based activities/projects that support classroom curriculum and are standards-based and research-oriented	Increase their use and understanding of technology
Fellows as future faculty and current faculty involved see the potential to experiment with such teaching methods as less lecturing and more discussion and inquiry based approaches.	Increases number/use of inquiry-based activities to enhance/support classroom curriculum	Gain new respect and appreciation for what K-12 teachers do	Learn new model of interaction with graduate students—a team teaching effort that balances Fellow’s content and research knowledge with teacher’s expertise in curriculum, pedagogy, and content standards	Regard Fellows as ”their scientists”, mentors/role models and changes K-12 students’ perceptions of STEM disciplines
Has created a network of universities working on similar goals	Provides teacher in-service training in content areas	Helps define a philosophy of teaching	Experience research in Fellow’s lab	Receive encouragement from Fellows that they can study science and do research.
Raises awareness of K-12 issues in the university community	Increases student learning opportunities through teaching teams	Can now understand differences in students	Receive support from Fellows to simplify complex concepts so as not to lose accuracy.	Improve their writing skills through activities
	Provides opportunities for differentiated learning, diversity, and individual attention for students and teachers	Increase or develop new knowledge of and bond with other fields of study through activities	Adds new web site resources and ideas for using them	Exhibit increased enthusiasm for and interest in science
	Makes available scientific equipment and supporting technology	Helps fellows clarify career choices, e.g., may motivate a career change to teaching at the university or K-12 level	Energizes, renews enthusiasm for profession and discipline	Participate more in class and have greater self-confidence
	Can influence reorganization of schools with teacher specializations	Have new appreciation/recognition of the importance of community outreach		Engage in differentiated learning and receive individual attention

Table 2: Strategies for Organizing and Implementing GK-12 Programs as Suggested by Participants

Recruitment/Selection of Fellows	Recruitment/Selection of Teachers	Preparing/Training Partners
Advertise in all campus media	Use any existing relationships between university and schools or teachers as recruiting tool	Schedule training workshops in the summer and on Saturday
Send letters to all graduate students	Get input/recommendations from school district personnel, e.g., science coordinator	Include Fellows and teachers in the training sessions to develop relationships for success
Hold information sessions for students and university graduate community--advisors, chairs, deans, heads of women's and minority organizations	Recruit entire school, e.g., make presentation to faculty	Encourage school and district administrators to be part of the team and attend some summer sessions
Require an application that includes an essay, GPA, and letters of recommendation	Require an application	Make sure that all partners understand program expectations for fellows and teachers
Organize a review panel for applications	Organize a review panel for applications	Include workshops on: content standards, school/district curriculum, developing activities that are inquiry-based and support the curriculum, basic education foundations, classroom and behavior management, equity issues, correcting misconceptions, and analyzing student abilities and motivation.
Highlight 12-month stipends (be aware of concerns at university and K-12 school related to stipend size)	Explain benefits of partnership, don't present as "you need help."	Have Fellows develop and teach lessons and get feedback from teachers
Appeal to Fellow's interest in children and teaching	Build interest through examples of successful Fellow/teacher partnerships	Have Fellows and teachers develop and teach lessons
Emphasize that GK-12 is not a recruitment program to encourage STEM students to become K-12 teachers. It is an opportunity for Fellows to learn how to fruitfully collaborate with the K-12 system in their future careers.	Make a special effort to recruit teachers in "at risk" schools or situations	Make certain that Fellows “know” their schools, i.e., demographics, socioeconomic backgrounds, student interest, level of parent/community support, etc.
Look for graduate students who have had teaching experience		Have teachers and Fellows visit each other’s “workplace” before the school year begins
Point out that GK-12 fellowships can fulfill service learning requirement		Help partners anticipate scheduling problems and structure solutions early on
		Develop a communication plan for all partners
		Provide resources at the university or school (teaching materials, books, grade-level curriculum, etc) for Fellows and teachers
		Visit schools frequently to assess and track all aspects of the program and provide on-going support or mentoring for Fellows
		Give Fellows the opportunity (via meetings, e-mail, etc.) to meet with other Fellows to share ideas, activities, frustrations, etc.
		Offer college credit for training seminars

Table 3: Evaluating GK-12 Programs-Examples Supplied by Participants

Assessment Tools/Strategies	Problems/Unexpected Outcomes	Suggestions for Improvement
Paper and online surveys	Developing measures to determine when inquiry methods are being appropriately used by GK-12 Fellow/teacher partners.	Group sites by regional proximity, types of K-12 schools, types of universities, grade level or discipline interests and then work together to adapt and refine similar evaluation instruments and protocols.
Interviews, focus groups, and classroom observations	Developing a tool to accurately measure learning acquired through inquiry	PIs, site coordinators and evaluators review the web-based GK-12 monitoring system to know what information they must gather.
Quantitative assessments (pre- and post-tests, quizzes, lab practicals, skills tests)	Lack of quantitative data	Evaluators pay particular attention to formative evaluation to help PIs, teachers and Fellows build efficient, effective evaluation protocols so as they organize and carry out their plans they can gather the evidence necessary to record and evaluate their outcomes, identify best practices and develop mechanisms to help others adapt effective practices.
Classroom action research projects	Because of the long term nature of the outcomes expected it is easier to develop and complete formative evaluation than to obtain the data needed for summative evaluation.
Student progress reports
Development of teacher-fellow partnerships, weekly and bimonthly meetings between teacher and fellow
Portfolios, folders, journals, and case studies
Culminating events (science fairs, science nights, etc.

Table 4: Disseminating Information about GK-12 Projects-Techniques Found Useful by Participants

Public Arenas	Professional/University-Sponsored
Local Media (TV, radio, newspapers)	Regional, national, or international discipline meetings (presentations, posters by fellows and/or teachers)
Community events (Advisory Board meetings, mall displays or events)	Publications (journals, newsletters, etc.)
School-based (web page, PTA/PTO activities, field trips, Science Nights and Fairs, school board meetings, Open House, parent newsletters)	Faculty meetings, campus seminars
State (letters, presentations to legislature)	Alumni meetings
	Links from websites (university or professional organizations) to GK12 website and its resources

Table 5: Sustaining GK-12 Programs-Strategies Explored by Participants

Influential/Important Partners	Strategies for Engaging/Using These Partners
Education centers, museums	Sources for field trips, speakers, community representatives on advisory boards and planning committees
School district	(1) Highlight program’s impact on system through fellows’ support of teachers and students through classroom activities, emphasis on inquiry-based learning, collaboration with university, models/mentors for students, etc. (2) Push for district and school support to teachers to help them maintain and disseminate activities begun under GK-12, enlist teacher support and insight for this effort.
PTAs at local and state level	Use as lobbying partner
State and local education institutions	(1) Highlight the impact of the program and its potential to help in efforts to strengthen STEM related activities in K-12 classes and K-12 student interest in STEM careers and in going on to college. (2) Develop state programs that give fellowships for committing to teach in state for a certain number of years
State legislature	(1) Show data and demonstrate impact (2) Develop state programs that give fellowships for committing to teach in state for a certain number of years
Other schools, departments, sections of the university	(1) Use GK-12 as a model for other disciplines (2) Engage Community Outreach groups at the university (3) Use GK-12 as a service learning and workforce development program (4) Add GK-12 activities to research grants as a component of broader impacts (5) Use undergrads and work study students to work in schools (6) Offer program to graduate students for credit instead of money
Industries/businesses	(1) Provide volunteer scientists, speakers, field-trip sites (2) Fund materials and supplies or offer matching funds (3) Have volunteer scientists/engineers replace fellows over time
Professional societies in community	Publicize program, recruit volunteers
National, state, and local government agencies	Sources for field trips, speakers, community advisory board members

Questions Framing the Small Group Discussions Summarized in Tables

Birds of a Feather Sessions

(organized by the participants’ roles in the GK-12 projects)

PIs and CoPIs, fellows, teachers, and project managers examined similar sets of questions about:

• Problems and solutions related to program development and conduct
• The content and level of preparation required for fellows to be effective in the classroom
• Successful and challenging aspects of the GK12 programs
• Advice for new members of the project teams
• Effects of the programs that should be captured and disseminated
• Ways to achieve buy-in from university and school administrators, and
• Effects of the program on the fellows, teachers, and students.

Project evaluators considered:

• Strategies for assessing different aspects of the program
• Problems and unexpected outcomes
• Advice to new and mature sites, and
• Best uses for their expertise and the most appropriate help from NSF.

Special Topics Sessions

(project teams organized by geographic proximity)

The sessions on Fellow and teacher roles discussed successful strategies for:

• Addressing concerns from other departments and graduate schools (and from some teacher-partners) about the amount of the GK-12 fellowships
• Recruiting and selecting Fellows and teachers
• Meeting state content standards and school curricular requirements while making the best use of the Fellow’s expertise; and
• Providing the greatest benefits for the Fellows.

The sessions on evaluation and accountability considered:

• Effective tools with which to measure the program
• Ways to make the GK-12 initiatives integrate components of states’ K-12 education initiatives
• Feasible models for making GK-12 programs sustainable, and
• Suggestions for a timeline for reaching sustainability.

The sessions focused on disseminating information considered:

• Appropriate partners and how they can help achieve sustainability
• Quality opportunities for disseminating to the profession and community, and
• Permanent impacts at all levels.

Next Steps

An evaluation was distributed to all 277 participants. Participants listed most significant ideas raised, activities to pursue after the conference and suggestions for ongoing communication among sites. The top four responses for each follow:

(1) Most significant ideas raised--

• Concentrate on sustainability
• Support and recognize teachers to ensure project success
• Make parents aware of student learning and publicize program in community
• Assess student content knowledge.

(2) Activities to pursue after the meeting--

• Apply for an NSF international grant
• Incorporate aspects of evaluation instruments
• Let more people know about GK-12 activities at the university and at the local and state level, and
• Involve faculty research advisors more.

(3) Suggestions for ongoing communication/sharing--

• Create database/listserv/bulletin
• Hold regional meetings
• Have evaluators pool assessment instruments, and
• Encourage sessions at professional society meetings