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The Effective Research-Based Characteristics of Professional Development of the National Science Foundation’s GK-12 Program

  • Published:
Journal of Science Teacher Education

Abstract

This study investigates the effective research-based characteristics of professional development (ERBCPD) of the National Science Foundation’s GK-12 Program—a program which partners institutions of higher education with local school districts and places science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graduates in the K-12 classroom with teachers. Final evaluations of 26 GK-12 sites were analyzed with a priori and emergent content analyses, which included rigorous inter- and intra-reliability testing. The results of the a priori analysis demonstrated that the GK-12 program incorporates all ERBCPD, but to drastically varying degrees (76–5%). The a priori characteristics that appeared most often were “Treats Fellows as professionals,” and “Professional development is on-going.” The two emergent characteristics included “Improves communication skills” and “Has real world application.”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Education, Harkins Hall 324, Providence College, 549 River Avenue, Providence, RI, 02918, USA

    Peter C. Cormas

  2. Center for Science and Mathematics Education, SZB 340, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712-1294, USA

    James P. Barufaldi

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  1. Peter C. Cormas
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  2. James P. Barufaldi
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Correspondence to Peter C. Cormas.

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Cormas, P.C., Barufaldi, J.P. The Effective Research-Based Characteristics of Professional Development of the National Science Foundation’s GK-12 Program. J Sci Teacher Educ 22, 255–272 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-011-9228-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-011-9228-1

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