Strengthening science and engineering educational programs in Texas elementary and middle schools

With a $5 million grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), SMU is leading an initiative to enhance how science and engineering are taught in Texas elementary and middle schools.

Last year, the Texas Education Agency fully implemented rules that engineering practices be embedded in K-8 science education for the first time. The goal of SMU's project is to improve the quality of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) instruction and help keep great teachers in the profession, said the project's lead Jeanna Wieselmann, an assistant professor of STEM Education at SMU's Simmons School of Education and Human Development.

"By investing in teachers' professional growth and leadership, we aim to both improve instruction and increase teacher retention, which is a critical need in Texas," Wieselmann said.

The 5-year grant will be used to recruit a select group of outstanding teachers into a Texas STEM Teacher Corps, provide them with professional learning and leadership opportunities, and connect them with other teachers across the state and country.

Teachers will participate in summer institutes, year-long professional learning communities, and capstone projects tailored to their professional goals. Texas STEM Teacher Corps members will also receive advanced leadership training, so they can go on to support other teachers in their schools and districts.

"Through this project, about 100 teachers will directly participate, and we estimate more than 12,000 students will benefit from improved instruction during the 5-year project," said Wieselmann, who brings expertise in science and engineering integration and teacher professional learning. "That number will grow each year as these teachers continue in their careers and share what they've learned with colleagues."

Wieselmann will be leading the overall project, including coordinating research activities, overseeing professional learning design, and supporting recruitment and partnership with schools and districts.

Co-researchers Anthony Petrosino, professor in the Simmons School, and Janille Smith-Colin, an associate professor at SMU's Lyle School of Engineering, will assist Wieselmann with the initiative.

Petrosino, an expert at STEM teacher preparation, will guide the design of teacher capstone projects and leadership development components. Smith-Colin, meanwhile, will help design and lead the summer institute professional learning sessions, ensuring that the engineering content is authentic and relevant to teachers and their students.

Three colleagues at Tarleton State University will also be helping with the educational programs, along with SMU graduate students.

Stronger STEM courses, lower teacher attrition in Texas

To better prepare students for the careers of the future, a strong foundation in science and engineering is vital in the United States. And with Texas educating more than 5.5 million public school students—which is over 11% of the nation's total—there's a real chance to vastly improve STEM education nationwide.

Yet, less than 10% of U.S. elementary and middle school teachers have ever taken a college course in engineering, and most reported feeling unprepared to teach engineering, according to a 2018 study.

In Texas, the challenge is compounded by high teacher attrition. In the past year, Texas Education Agency reported that more than 12% of teachers left the profession, compared to roughly 8% nationwide.

SMU is looking to turn that around by building strong teacher support, making it possible to give students a strong, engaging learning experience in science and engineering from an early age.

"This project positions Texas and SMU as national leaders in rethinking how science and engineering are taught in K-8 classrooms," Petrosino said. "Because it is supported by the National Science Foundation, the lessons we learn and the professional development models we create can be scaled and adapted across the country, helping to strengthen STEM teaching and learning well beyond Texas."

Smith-Colin added that the team's innovations will help to grow the nation's engineering pipeline, which is sorely in need.

"This grant offers a targeted upstream approach to the engineering workforce challenge by focusing on K-8 engineering teaching," she said. "Our multi-pronged approach provides instructional mentorship to teachers, integrates engineering skills and practices into STEM curricula, and develops the next generation of science and engineering education leaders."

Which better prepares STEM teachers—VR/AI simulations or peer teaching?

In a separate project, Wieselmann is also helping with research funded by a $243,265 grant from NSF. This project seeks to compare two different approaches to preparing K-12 STEM teachers to facilitate classroom discussions of scientifically-relevant, real-world problems.

Across five participating institutions, the research team will evaluate whether virtual reality simulations with artificial intelligence avatar students or scaffolded peer teaching opportunities are more effective at supporting future teachers in developing skills to effectively facilitate classroom discussions.

Wieselmann and her SMU Ph.D. student Aishwarya Neupane will be working with partners at the University of West Florida, Texas A&M University, Kennesaw State University, and Drake University on the research.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No. 2500229 and 2439536.

Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Provided by Southern Methodist University