Impact of sustained professional development in STEM on outcome measures in a diverse urban district. Issue 2 (3rd March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Capraro, Robert M.; Capraro, Mary Margaret; Scheurich, James Joseph; Jones, Meredith; Morgan, Jim; Huggins, Kristin Shawn; Corlu, M. Sencer; Younes, Rayya; Han, Sunyoung
• Is Part Of: Journal of educational research. Volume 109:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: 181
• Page End: 196
• Publication Date: 2016-03-03
• Subjects: High school -- mathematics -- professional development -- project-based learning -- science -- urban schools; Education -- Periodicals; 370.705
• DOI: 10.1080/00220671.2014.936997
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-0671

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Sustained professional development can support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) reform. The authors describe a 3-year study of sustained professional development for 3 diverse urban schools across the salient factors of fidelity of implementation of project-based learning, development of professional learning communities, and student achievement. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected. The students who experienced the greatest fidelity of implementation exhibited the greatest gains ( d = 1.41–2.03) on standardized test scores, while those with the lowest fidelity of implementation exhibited negative gains ( d = –0.16 to –0.08). Qualitative data indicated teachers perceived there were multiple benefits from the implementation of project-based learning.