Establishing and Nurturing Effective Partnerships among University Faculty, Public School Administrators, and Classroom Teachers

David BogerJane DavisRobin Guill LilesNorth Carolina A&T State University

2009 DR K12 PI MeetingWashington, DC

November 8-10, 2009

Greeting & Welcome

We thank you for attending this session! David, Jane, & Robin NSF Program Specialist: Dr. Julia Clark

Today’s Questions

What are the elements of effective partnerships and collaboration?

How do effective partnerships and collaborations across disciplines and expertise develop and evolve?

How may effective partnerships and collaborations be fostered?

The Session:

Cuts across conference strands Focuses upon productive management and

implementation of a research project

Specific Questions:

What are the elements of effective partnership and collaboration?

How do effective collaboration across disciplines and expertise develop and evolve? (disciplines: Science – biology, chemistry, and physics; Technology- computer science, technology; Engineering –electrical, mechanical, and chemical; Math –math ed. and professional math faculties)

Study Overview

The purpose of the Content Mentoring for Middle School Math and Science Teachers is to study the effects of mentoring relationships between university faculty and middle school math and science teachers upon teachers’ understanding of content knowledge, teaching efficacy, and student learning.

Experimental study

The Purpose:

To examine the effects of university (STEM and business) faculty mentoring on middle grade math and science teacher understanding of content and its effect on student learning.

Successful Implementation requires: Positive partnership among- interdisciplinary

university faculty; public school partners; and, classroom teachers buy-in.

Plan for this Session:

Focus upon strategies utilized in establishing and nurturing- faculty, public school administrators, and classroom teachers.

Grant elements and ways of tackling problems and concerns: Bring interdisciplinary faculty on board

(faculty focus group) Communicating the purpose of the study to

university faculty in schools/colleges other than education

Establishing an Advisory Board (deans, public school personnel)

Steering Committee ( faculty from each dept.)

Continued:

Implementing and maintaining positive communication

Implementing and maintaining methodologies for capturing feedback

Obtaining approval from multiple over-site bodies (e.g. public schools, IRB, and NSF)

Continued: negotiating the public school culture Getting support from people we knew Working with administrators with whom we

have had success; e.g. PDS Being a friend to schools- sharing (PDS small

grants), and other successful projects (reading project by Boger and Davis)

Continued:

“Cold calling and other introductions to public school administrators

Obtaining volunteer teachers participants from school systems and school who feeling the pressure of being low performing or near low performing (state testing – EoG, EoC)

Maintaining participants interest across the academic year

Being persistent without becoming overly instrusive

Part of the methodology involved: Journals and analyses Narrative surveys (faculty and teachers) Quantitative collection and analyses

What are we finding?

Teachers and faculty are very positive about participating

We need more time to study the trends Content mentoring is impacting teachers and

students content knowledge Student enhanced learning and teacher

retention are positive; but are not conclusive

Scenario 1

You are in your first year of your grant. Your budget reflects funding is in place. The proposal indicated that you will be collaborating with a major public school which is expected to obtain the “lion’s share” of participants. You have a letter of support from the school system on file. You receive a letter from the system stating they are withdrawing from the study. What would you do?

Scenario 2

You propose to conduct an experimental study utilizing a 2-group comparison design. You have administrative approval in writing to conduct human subject research in a school system. Your goal is to obtain at least 60 participants, including 30 participants in both the experimental and control groups. How do go about getting teachers to sign up for your study?

Scenario 3

Your state has recently undergone budgetary cuts which have significantly impacted public education. The word “on the street” is that morale is low among public educators, administrators and teachers alike. In hopes of seeking administrative approval to visit schools to promote your study, you’ve requested and received permission to speak with a group of principals. When you arrive at the meeting, the room is buzzing. You’re first on the agenda. What do you do?

Scenario 4

You have received permission to visit a school to promote your study and hopefully obtain teacher participants. When you arrive, there is a crisis in the school, requiring law enforcement. The assistant principal encourages you to carry on your presentation. When the you arrive at the faculty meeting, the room is buzzing. You are first on the agenda. What do you do?

Critical Elements

Obtaining approval from multiple oversight bodies

Establishing university-wide support Establishing public school administrative

support Negotiating the public school culture “Cold calling”

More Critical Elements

Obtaining volunteer teacher participants Establishing an Advisory Council and

Steering Committee Communication Capturing feedback and data Striking the optimal “balance”

Persisting without intruding

Approval

Dependent upon well crafted proposal language

University IRB application

Participating School Districts Four districts Variance in district expectations Determining relevant POC’s for each distric

Ongoing review

University Support

NCA&T supports an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning.

SOE: initial and graduate teaching licenses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics and technology education

Other units: College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering, School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, School of Technology, School of Business and Economics, and School of Education.

Establishing the support of unit deans

Public School Support Large v small school districts Finding the right people Hierarchy: superintendents -> research officers –>

principals -> teachers Making contact

Multiple methods Redundancy

Follow-up Multiple methods Redundancy

“Closing the deal” Documentation

“Cold Calling”

Scheduling a clear place, day, and time for the cold calling meeting

Planning Know what you’re going to say. Have handouts. Be prepared for many (or few) questions.

Travel After, send a Thank You! Follow-up with call for participation

Teacher Participants:Initial Challenges

Explaining the purpose of the study Defining benefits to teachers Overcoming teacher initial worries

Time Added duties, assignments, responsibilities

Getting volunteer participants to “sign up” Paperwork

Teacher Participants:Other Challenges Facilitating a positive relationship between

teachers and their university mentor Maintaining enthusiasm and energy Competing with time constraints Paperwork Collecting data

Advisory Council Steering Committee Advisory Council

Purpose Comprised of Notable contributions to the study

Steering Committee Purpose Comprised of Notable contributions to the study

Communication

Research Team (intra-communication) Developing a “team” approach Adequate support staff Positive communication among the research team Be systematic

Research Study (inter-communication) Highlight and tout the “team” approach Multiple methodologies: face-to-face, phone, email, web-

based platforms, word-of-mouth Systematized communication builds study integrity

Capturing Feedback

Strong support staff Employing support staff as a conduit for

information flowing from participants to research team ensures anonymity and enhances participant comfort.

Multiple methodologies for capturing feedback and data

Striking the Optimal Balance

Persisting without being overly intrusive

Findings: A qualitative analysis of survey data Survey entries trended toward the following:

the mentoring experience in general; enhancement of discipline knowledge; the professional and reciprocal relationship of

mentor and protégé comments regarding time factors comments regarding assistance with resources.

Most teacher participants appreciated the opportunity to have conversations with professionals in their fields, math or science, especially since their mentors had no connection with their school system and would answer questions about content without judging the competency of their protégé.

A faculty mentor commented that “the greatest thing about this study is that two ends get to meet and exchange and share the ideas and opinions, which should happen from common sense but seldom happens in reality.” Another faculty cited the “development of a bond between teacher and mentor which resulted in better understanding of some mathematical concepts and more self confidence for the teacher.”

Teachers found that the interaction with faculty not only increased their confidence in their ability to teach complex concepts to middle school students, but also enhanced basic and advanced understanding of their discipline.

Faculty also acknowledged that benefits from the mentoring activities extended beyond the immediate. They cited the lack of coordination and communication between middle and secondary schools and the institutions of higher education as creating problems at the university level and saw the mentor/protégé relationship as a possible positive solution.