Exploring Graduate‐Level Scientists' Participation in a Sustained K‐12 Teaching Collaboration

Abstract

To increase scientific literacy in America, the National Science Foundation has implemented the Graduate Teaching Fellows in K‐12 Initiative (GK‐12). In these programs graduate level scientists, known as Graduate Teaching Fellows (GTFs), act as resources for science teachers (Partner Teachers). This research examines the influence of participation in this program on the GTFs involved in one GK‐12 sustained collaboration that emphasizes the codevelopment and co‐implementation of hands‐on, inquiry‐based activities. Qualitative data in the form of interviews and observations were collected from a single cohort of Partner Teachers, GTFs, and the academic advisors of the GTFs for one academic year. The GTFs identified three benefits they received from working in the GK‐12 program: enhanced understanding of science content, fuller understanding of the complexities of teaching science, and understanding of inquiry‐based science teaching and its value. At the same time the GTFs experienced tensions related to differing views of science and science teaching held by the GTFs and the Partner Teachers. The GTFs also experienced professional risks in at least two ways due to their involvement in this program. One risk was the result of the time commitment required to be a GTF. The other was the result of what was termed competing foci. Illustrated in this case by the difficulties encountered as GTFs attempted to learn how to teach in a secondary science classroom while still learning to become research scientists.

Integrating Teaching and Research: A New Model for Graduate Education?

“…GK-12 fellowships require graduate students to balance competing demands for their time and attention, working in typically high-pressure environments to become research scientists while also spending significant amounts of time teaching off campus (Thompson 2002). However, of the 29 Cornell University faculty members who advised 33 graduate fellows over the first four years of CSIP, only one reported a negative impact on his advisee's research.…”

From scientific practice to high school science classrooms: Transfer of scientific technologies and realizations of authentic inquiry

“…These extensive consultations also minimized the “external‐import” effect and instead sought to create an integration model rooted in teachers' practice. Fifth, consistent with one of the most common recommendations in the literature (Lee et al, 2010; Schuster & Carlsen, 2009; Thompson et al, 2002), implementation in science classrooms involved extensive short and long term PD opportunities locally and nationally. Training workshops and institutes provided opportunities for developing comfort with BSW, and collaborative, teacher‐led curriculum development.…”

“…Second, by all current measures, BSW development, and implementation efforts were collaboratively undertaken by a diverse group of committed scientists and educators with the requisite scientific, pedagogical, and technological expertise (Bell et al, 2004; Williams et al, 2004). Such a collaborative approach would be applauded by researchers who consistently advocate a community of practice that links classroom agents with science educators and scientists (Squire et al, 2003; Thompson et al, 2002) What is more, the leadership roles of scientists in the current study are consistent with views that “scientists who work at the frontiers of science can play an important role in refining and developing science educators views about the practices of the science community” (Wong & Hodson, 2009, p. 112) and act “as mentors in conjunction with science teachers, guiding students to participate in genuine scientific inquiries” (Gordin & Pea, 1995, p. 275). Third, every effort was made to provide an education–friendly interface that combined ease of use, appeal, and appropriate content, as well as attempting to capitalize on student interest.…”

“…Most alarming in these findings is the recognition of the enormous challenges of bridging the two domains: “There is value however, in recognizing that even motivated scientists may find it too difficult or impractical to model science in such settings [K12 environment] in a way that will be meaningful and appreciated by groups of teachers” (p. 652). In their examination of collaborative efforts between GK‐12 fellows and science teachers, Thompson, Collins, Metzgar, Joeston, and Shepherd (2002) explicate that teachers and scientists enter collaborations with differing perspectives and expectations of science. While the fellows acknowledged initial difficulties with conceptions of classroom inquiry and breadth of science content, participating teachers emphasized the incongruent and unrealistic expectations of scientists.…”

Scientists' teaching orientations in the context of teacher professional development

“…In recent years, university scientists' involvement in K-12 teacher professional development has been sometimes tenuous; a lack of institutional support has created an atmosphere in which many scientists suspect that involvement in K-12 outreach as potentially threatening tenure and promotion (Thompson, Collins, Metzgar, Joeston, & Shepherd, 2002). Furthermore, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 requires that states and districts "ensure the availability of high quality professional development for all teachers" (Borko, 2004, p. 3), and federal policies like NCLB often translate into state and district requirements that are difficult to coordinate and require continuous negotiation (Honig & Hatch, 2004).…”