Participation in STEM PLCs positively impacts teachers' understanding of or preparedness to teach content and attitudes toward teaching methods¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r3 · q2
Currency · newest study 2010 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? STEM teacher participation in PLCs engages teachers in discussion of content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge, positively impacting their understanding of or preparedness to teach content or attitudes toward teaching methods. → Fulton 2010 q2 i? The synthesis judges claims that STEM PLCs contribute to changes in teacher beliefs or knowledge of STEM content or PCK to be moderately substantiated, while more evidence on student learning is needed. → Fulton 2010 (2)

Evidence¶

Fulton 2010¶

Fulton, K., Doerr, H., & Britton, T. (2010). STEM Teachers in Professional Learning Communities: A Knowledge Synthesis. National Commission on Teaching & America's Future / WestEd. https://www.nctaf.org/resources/events/STEMWingspreadConference.htm

q2 · i? · review · r3

Knowledge synthesis finding, reported in the Overview of Key Findings from the reviewed Types 1 and 2 studies. The review reports that participation in PLCs can successfully engage teachers in discussion about content knowledge, "positively impacting their understanding of or preparedness to teach content, or attitudes toward teaching methods". No effect sizes are printed.

"Participation in PLCs can successfully engage teachers in discussion about content knowledge or knowledge about how to teach it (pedagogical content knowledge or PCK), positively impacting their understanding of or preparedness to teach content, or attitudes toward teaching methods."

Fulton 2010 (2)¶

Fulton, K., Doerr, H., & Britton, T. (2010). STEM Teachers in Professional Learning Communities: A Knowledge Synthesis. National Commission on Teaching & America's Future / WestEd. https://www.nctaf.org/resources/events/STEMWingspreadConference.htm

q2 · i? · review · r3

The synthesis's own strength-of-knowledge judgment in the section on the source of knowledge: claims about teacher belief and content/PCK change are "moderately substantiated", and it states that "More evidence of changes in students' learning or achievement clearly is needed." No effect sizes are printed.

"Claims seem moderately substantiated that STEM PLCs can contribute to changes in teacher beliefs or changing teachers'knowledge of STEM content or content pedagogical knowledge (PCK). More evidence of changes in students' learning or achievement clearly is needed."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Participation in mathematics PLC changed teachers' collaboration norms, understanding of mathematics and its teaching, and ability to design and carry out teaching — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
• STEM PLC participation increases teachers' deliberation about students' mathematics or science thinking and shifts instruction toward attention to student reasoning and diverse problem-solving modes — related
• A small set of mathematics-only studies gives existence proof that teacher participation in a mathematics PLC can enhance student learning, but evidence is insufficient to link formal assessment results to PLC participation — related
• STEM teachers participating in learning teams deepen their mathematics and science content knowledge and feel more prepared to teach it — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Published policy statements and expert advice universally recommend STEM PLCs, with cautions against superficial definition and implementation — related
• Teachers and coaches in the qualitative study perceived that coaching increased teacher knowledge and practice, with sustainable practices and positive student learning outcomes — related
• EAI modalities were associated with higher student motivation and changes in attitudes toward STEM knowledge areas — related
• Teacher resistance as an exercise of teacher agency is a fundamental challenge to current PLC formulations — related
• Existing STEM PLC research is methodologically weak by Standards of Evidence review, with no studies rated adequate, but collectively builds a supportive case for valued PLC effects — related
• Evidence on teacher attitude change as an outcome of team-based professional development in higher education is insufficient; only one study mentioned attitudes — related
• Sociocultural contexts—school, professional community, policy, and society—shape teachers' motivational beliefs about TSRs — related