Learn about issues, opportunities, and models of teacher leadership to create transformative learning environments and improve education policy and decision making.
Effective teachers are crucial to efforts in improving student learning in K-12 STEM education. Effective teaching may be enhanced through innovative professional development that takes into account the stage of a teacher’s career continuum and opportunities for teachers to use their knowledge and wisdom of practice in various leadership capacities. This session will: 1) explore the implications for career-long STEM teacher professional learning based on recommendations from a recent consensus study of the Board on Science Education of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; 2) introduce innovative models in interdisciplinary, entrepreneurial leadership that create high-quality, innovative, and transformative learning environments both in- and outside of the formal education environment; and 3) explore opportunities for teachers to play greater leadership roles in improving education policy and decision-making.
The session will begin with a discussion about a vision of professional learning and teacher leadership. Following this conversation, the presenters will provide overviews of three Academies’ reports:
- Science Teachers' Learning: Enhancing Opportunities, Creating Supportive Contexts
- STEM Learning is Everywhere: Summary of a Convocation on Building Learning Systems
- Exploring Opportunities for STEM Teacher Leadership: Summary of a Convocation (supported by NSF/DR K-12).
Participants will then explore ways in which professional learning and leadership, in and outside the classroom and school building, can be made more complementary.