STEM Teachers in Professional Learning Communities: From Good Teachers to Great Teaching

Posted Tue, 07/19/2011 - 12:33pm by eileen

A recently published report from the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future and WestEd summarizes outcomes and conclusions from a two-year NSF-funded study: STEM Teachers in Professional Learning Communities: A Knowledge Synthesis, which was based on the analysis of nearly two hundred STEM education research articles and reports.

Finding: STEM teaching is more effective and student achievement increases when teachers join forces to develop strong professional learning communities in their schools."

Both reports explicate six principles that make such learning communities effective: 

  • shared values and goals
  • collective responsibility
  • authentic assessment
  • self-directed reflection
  • stable settings
  • strong leadership support

The From Good Teachers to Great Teaching (June 2011) report summarizes the impacts of learning teams on teacher practice, for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) content areas. 

The Knowledge Synthesis report (September 2010) delves into the methods of the research study, with detailed analysis and comprehensive bibliography. 

Teaser Text: 
"...the tradition of artisan teaching in solo-practice classrooms will have to give way to a school culture in which teachers continuously develop their content knowledge and pedagogical skills through collaborative practice that is embedded in the daily fabric of their work."