Developing a model of teacher learning to support computationally rich communication in science classrooms
Grantee: University of Colorado at Boulder
Grant Details
| Project Lead | Tamara Sumner Ph.D. |
|---|---|
| Amount | $2,499,702 |
| Year Awarded | |
| Duration | 5 years |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.37717/220020587 |
| Summary |
The focus of this project is on how middle school teachers learn to support computationally rich communication in their science classrooms. We will study learning as teachers take part in experiences that include planning for, implementing, and reflecting on classroom instruction that engages students in data-driven science investigations using low-cost sensor technologies. A central component of these investigations is their focus on student mobilization of multiple systems of inscriptions to explain scientific phenomena and solve design problems. We will employ a design-based approach to studying teachers’ learning (Cobb et al., 2003) that is participatory and organized to support teacher agency (Severance, Penuel, Sumner, & Leary, 2016). The study will take place within two district contexts: an urban district in Colorado (Denver) and a rural district in Utah (Cache County). We will convene a Teacher-Research Team at each site, consisting of a district leader and 5 teachers, to support all aspects of design and research. We will use previously developed educative curriculum materials and a collaborative professional learning context that guides teachers to adapt materials and reflect on their experiences using these materials with students. We will collect a variety of data on the relationship between teachers’ learning experiences and their knowledge, classroom enactments, and student outcomes. Data collection will support longitudinal analyses of the two cohorts’ learning across time and contexts. Products will include expanded theories related to teacher learning about computationally rich communication, as well as tools to foster such communication in the classroom.
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