Partnership for Reform In Science and Mathematics

Jan Kettlewell, Charles Kutal, and Sabrina Hessinger

Partnership for Reform In Science and Mathematics

Jan Kettlewell, Charles Kutal, and Sabrina Hessinger

January 26, 2007

Overview of PRISM Jan Kettlewell, PI

Strategy 10—Developing a Reward Structure for Higher Education Faculty Involvement with K-12 Schools Charles Kutal, Co-PI, Northeast Region

Regional Implementation of Strategy 10 Sabrina Hessinger, Co-PI Southeast Region

Outline of Presentation

A comprehensive grant from NSF to the University System of Georgia designed To test key strategies to increase student learning and

achievement in science and mathematics in schools and colleges

To codify what works To use lessons learned

To influence statewide change in policy and practice

To inform the nation about successes that should be replicated to rebuild America’s competitive advantage in science and mathematics

What is PRISM?

1. Requiring all students to complete challenging courses/curricula in science and mathematics

2. Increasing and sustaining the number, quality, and diversity of K-12 teachers teaching science and mathematics

3. Increasing the responsiveness of higher education to the needs of K-12 schools

PRISM Goals

Raise expectations and achievement in science and mathematics in K-12 schools, while closing achievement gaps among demographic groups by

Population ServedPopulation Served

Regional 170,000 K-12 students 10,000 K-12 teachers In 275+ urban & rural public

schools 44% of teachers prepared in

University System of Georgia

State 1.4 million K-12 students 100,000+ K-12 teachers 100% USG teacher preparation

programs in science and mathematics

GPS training with K-12 Teachers

Mathematics Awareness class SE Region 5th & 9th Graders

Northeast Region

• University of Georgia• Clarke, Jackson, and Oconee

School Districts• Georgia Perimeter College

University System of Georgia

Georgia Department of Education

Metro Atlanta Region

• Georgia State University• Atlanta Public Schools• CEISMC—Georgia Institute of

Technology

East Central Region

• Georgia Southern University• Bulloch, Candler, Effingham,

Evans, Screven, Toombs, and Vidalia City School Districts

Southeast Region

• Armstrong Atlantic State University

• Bryan, Camden, Chatham, and Glynn School Districts

• Coastal Georgia Community College

Regional and State Partnerships

K-12 Teachers

Education Faculty

SM Faculty

#3Learning

Communities

#6Teacher Working

Conditions

#4Institute

Teaching &Learning-SM

#1Professional

Learning

#2SM Specialists

Elementary

#5Teacher Preparation

GPS

#7Teacher

Recruitment

#9Public Awareness

Campaign

#10HE Reward

System

#8New K-12

CurriculumGPS

PRISM DesignPRISM Design

K-12 Teachers

Education Faculty

SM Faculty

#3Learning

Communities

#6Teacher Working

Conditions

#4Institute

Teaching &Learning-SM

#1Professional

Learning

#2SM Specialists

Elementary

#5Teacher Preparation

GPS

#7Teacher

Recruitment

#9Public Awareness

Campaign

#10HE Reward

System

#8New K-12

CurriculumGPS

PRISM DesignPRISM Design

Implementation•10 Strategies in

•15 public school districts

•7 USG colleges and universities

Research•10 Strategies to answer

•What works for whom, under what conditions, and why

Institutional Change and SustainabilityInstitutional Change and Sustainability

Work in Schools policy adopted by the Board of Regents October 2006

ChangingPolicy

PRISM StrategiesPRISM Strategies1. Provide high quality professional development to K-12 teachers

teaching science and mathematics.2. Provide academic concentrations in science and mathematics

for current K-8 teachers through two new University System of Georgia faculty consortia.

3. Engage higher education and K-12 faculty in learning communities.

4. Influence the quality of teacher preparation through changing how science and mathematics are taught to future K-12 teachers.

5. Prepare teachers in all University System of Georgia institutions in sufficient numbers and diversity and with the content and pedagogical knowledge and skills needed to teach the new Georgia Performance Standards (GPS).

Strategies (continued)Strategies (continued)6. Initiate new policies that provide incentives and improved

working conditions for teaching science and mathematics in K-12 schools.

7. Implement regional strategies to recruit science and mathematics teachers.

8. Raise and align science and mathematics student-learning standards and curriculum, preschool through 2 years of college.

9. Conduct a public awareness campaign of the need for all K-12 students to have access to, to be prepared for, and to succeed in challenging courses and curricula in science and mathematics.

10.Provide a reward structure in universities to encourage faculty members to sustain involvement in improving science and mathematics teaching and learning in K-12 schools.

Why Strategy 10?Why Strategy 10?

If PRISM was to succeed in increasing and sustaining higher education faculty involvement with K-12 schools, then changes to the reward system were needed.

A state-level committee was formed to guide the design and implementation of this strategy.

Strategy 10 CommitteeStrategy 10 Committee

State-wide representation Co-chaired by USG Vice Chancellor and

Executive Director of P-16 Included key stakeholders such as:

University vice presidents Deans from A&S and Education SM faculty Cultural anthropologist External evaluator

Evolution of Strategy 10Evolution of Strategy 10

Outcomes

Implementation

Design

DIO Cycle of Evidence

Early Design & ImplementationEarly Design & Implementation

Initial work focused on collecting data that would guide the development of a modified faculty reward structure. Faculty focus group input Two-day state-wide symposium

Analysis of Symposium ResultsAnalysis of Symposium Results

The issue of faculty rewards is viewed differently by groups depending on their faculty rank, tenure status, and institutional sector.

Common RecommendationsCommon Recommendations

Faculty and administrators from each sector, rank, and discipline identified several factors most likely to encourage, increase, and sustain involvement in K-12 work: Release time Workload reduction Salary increase Summer salary Credit toward promotion and/or tenure

Evidenced-based ChangesEvidenced-based Changes

Design and implementation of Strategy 10 were changed after analyzing the data: Expanded membership of Strategy 10

Committee to include regional representation.

Created Implementation Framework as a guide for change in policy and culture at system, institution, college, and department levels.

Additional ResearchAdditional Research

The Strategy 10 Committee: Reviewed institutions’ P&T policies Facilitated administrator and faculty

meetings to discuss the value departments placed on criteria in P&T

Conducted additional large focus groups at PRISM institutions

Outcomes-Change in PolicyOutcomes-Change in Policy

Strategy 10 Committee developed a draft policy for Board of Regents’ Policy Manual, which specifically advocates rewarding higher education faculty for work in K-12 schools.

Newly Adopted PolicyNewly Adopted PolicyBoard of Regents’ Policy 803.17. Work in the Schools

Board of Regents' approval of University System of Georgia institutions to prepare teachers includes the expectation that state colleges and universities with a teacher preparation mission will collaborate with the K-12 schools. University System institutions that prepare teachers will support and reward all faculty who participate significantly in approved efforts in teacher preparation and in school improvement efforts through decisions in promotion and tenure, pre-tenure and post-tenure review, annual review and merit pay, workload, recognition, allocation of resources, and other rewards. Participation in teacher preparation and in school improvement may include documented efforts of these faculty in:

Improving their own teaching so as to model effective teaching practices in courses taken by prospective teachers.

Contributing scholarship that promotes and improves student learning and achievement in the schools and in the university.

Collaborating with public schools to strengthen teaching quality and to increase student learning.

The Chancellor shall issue guidelines, to be published in the Academic Affairs Handbook, which serve to encourage formal institutional recognition and reward for all faculty in realizing the expectations embodied in this policy.

Guidelines for PolicyGuidelines for Policy

Guidelines for the USG Academic Affairs Handbook were developed to encourage formal institutional recognition and reward for all faculty involved in K-12 work.

Resources for PolicyResources for Policy http://www.usg.edu/academics/handbook/sect

ion4/4.03.02.phtml provides definitions, examples of evidence, and illustrative cases of faculty work in: Scholarly teaching Scholarship of teaching and learning Scholarship of engagement Scholarship of discovery Service

Regional Implementationof Strategy 10Regional Implementationof Strategy 10

Changes in cultureChanges in policy

Outcomes-Changes in CultureOutcomes-Changes in Culture

Northeast Region: University of Georgia Pre-PRISM Culture Status:

A review of the P&T Guidelines found no impediments to involvement in K-16 education activities

No evidence was found that these activities were considered in P&T decisions

Earlier initiatives (Deans’ Forum, STEP, GSTEP) encouraged and supported collaborative work in schools

NEGA PRISM InitiativesNEGA PRISM Initiatives

PRISM-supported incentives: Mini-grant program to improve teaching and

student learning in introductory STEM courses (57 mini-grants awarded over 3 years)

Opportunities for participation in learning communities, State and Regional Institutes, and faculty-initiated meetings about instruction

NEGA-Outcomes in CultureNEGA-Outcomes in Culture

Increased interest and participation in improving student learning in core SM college courses

Increased interest in the Scholarship of Teaching

Increased participation of UGA faculty with K-12 teachers

Outcomes-Changes in CultureOutcomes-Changes in Culture

Metro Atlanta Region: Georgia State University Pre-PRISM Culture

1. No Incentives for K-16 Collaborations

2. K-16 Educational Activities Not Directly Recognized

Outcomes-Changes in CultureOutcomes-Changes in Culture

Metro Atlanta Region: Georgia State University PRISM Initiatives

1. Mini-Grant Program

2. Regional Institutes

3. Academy for Learning

Outcomes-Changes in CultureOutcomes-Changes in Culture

East Central Region: Georgia Southern University Teacher education is a big part of the whole university’s

business

Between Eisenhower and ITQ, teacher education has been part of science programs for a long time

However, teacher education among the Science and Technology faculty has typically been lumped in “Service”, i.e., no big deal……

and yet….

tenure and promotion depend upon the “big deal”.

Outcomes-Changes in PolicyOutcomes-Changes in Policy

East Central Region: Georgia Southern University The Faculty Roles and Rewards initiative was

undertaken in 2002

By 2005 both the College of Science and Technology and the College of Education had adopted new “rules of engagement”

Roles and Rewards wraps up as Strategy 10 makes its appearance in 2005

Teaching teachers- How iscredit given to college faculty?Teaching teachers- How iscredit given to college faculty? Both the College of Science and Technology and the College of

Education adopted appropriate reward structures a year ago.

Kelly Vance and Fred Rich with the Earth Science Learning Community in the XRD lab

The New Culture at Georgia SouthernThe New Culture at Georgia Southern

Senior, tenured faculty don’t have to worry as much, and now junior faculty don’t have to worry either.

People whose hearts are in teaching teachers, or teaching school kids are welcome to do it.

Pedagogical research and publication in science education literature are accepted.

Educational grants (e.g., ITQ) are more highly valued.

Outcomes-Changes in CultureOutcomes-Changes in Culture

Southeast Region: Armstrong Atlantic State University

The Pre-PRISM Armstrong Administrative Acceptance of SoTL VPAA Funded Internal T&L Grants Program

Average funded 9 per year Approximately 60% awarded to STEM faculty

Pre-PRISM Armstrong cont’dPre-PRISM Armstrong cont’d

Departmental Culture Widely Varied Similarities:

SM Education faculty in SM departments Typically work in schools is w/ students and

done by these faculty “designees” and is service in nature

Interest in K-12 success very high

PRISM ImplementationPRISM Implementation

P-16 Learning Communities Professional Development Mini-grants Conversations on SoTL

Outcomes-Changes in CultureOutcomes-Changes in Culture

Traditional scientists considering value of SoTL

Increase in STEM faculty experimenting w/ active classroom strategies

Increase in the intensity of SoTL discussions Increase in awareness of and value of

scholarship in other disciplines Increase in cross college collaborations Building of a large campus community actively

working with K-12 schools (from 4 faculty in 2003 to 41 STEM faculty in 2006)

AASU Moves Toward Sustainability

AASU Moves Toward Sustainability

Fall 2006 VPAA, Deans and PRISM devise campus plan to act on BOR

policy Campus-wide discussions of new policy A&S Department Heads discuss impact on T&P docs

Spring 2007 T&L Roundtable focuses on SoTL Web-Cases Departmental discussions on revising T&P docs

Summer 2007 8th Science in Savannah Symposium to focus on impact of PRISM

Fall 2007 & Ongoing STEM Faculty contributions to work in schools formally

recognized in T&P process Fall 2008

Expand AASU internal SoTL grants program to include collaborative work with schools

Where are we now?Where are we now?

Increased interest and involvement of SM higher education faculty has occurred.

Preliminary data from the PRISM Evaluation Team suggest that “IHE participation with K-12 teachers has improved K-12 teachers’ teaching practices.”

Is higher education faculty involvement with K-12 schools sustainable? Jury is still out, but initial signs are promising.