Abstract
CoastLines was a 3-year, comprehensive professional development project for teachers funded by the National Science Foundation’s Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program. Conducted by Science Approach, LLC – a small research and development business located in Tucson, Arizona – in collaboration with scientists and staff from the National Science Foundation’s Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) network, the CoastLines project facilitated efficient deployment of geographic information systems (GIS) in grade 7–12 schools located in urban and suburban regions. Additionally, CoastLines focused on areas with high percentages of low-income families and with ethnic populations not highly represented in the science and engineering fields. Webinars and a summer institute presented by the project involved teachers and students in using GIS and global positioning system (GPS) technology to conduct scientific studies of coastal ecosystems and watersheds in the LTER network. This chapter first describes a professional development model based on previous evaluation work. Then, the theoretical foundation of the model is developed from the perspectives of diffusion of innovations, andragogy, and self-determination theory. Next, CoastLines’ iterative design is outlined within the context of Science Approach’s learning organization approach. After describing the project format and activities for 2008, the CoastLines professional development model is evaluated in terms of the years’ evaluation findings. Finally, recommendations for practice are offered, as well as opportunities for future research.
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Moore, S.D., Haviland, D., Whitmer, A., Brady, J. (2014). CoastLines: Commitment, Comfort, Competence, Empowerment, and Relevance in Professional Development. In: MaKinster, J., Trautmann, N., Barnett, M. (eds) Teaching Science and Investigating Environmental Issues with Geospatial Technology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3931-6_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3931-6_7
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