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Our work in progress draws from an ongoing investigation of the needs of elementary teachers in small, rural school districts. Due to geographic location, rural schools often struggle to provide content-specific professional learning (PL). Smaller networks of science in these settings may also be barriers. We are exploring how targeted instructional supports that take rural teachers’ contexts into consideration can be sustained through the implementation of cost-effective modest supports. Our research examines the immediate impacts of PL, sustainability of PL outcomes when coupled with modest supports, specific impacts on engineering instruction, and student learning impacts. The intervention started with an online PL to introduce teachers to the NGSS and provide them with a foothold for three-dimensional teaching. This PL was designed for rural teachers using online platforms and resources. The program’s conceptual framework leverages a suite of modest supports previously identified to sustain PL outcomes. These supports are designed to scaffold teachers’ professional growth, provide steady encouragement, and foster community. Approximately 160 teachers across four states were recruited to participate in a 1-year online program, which started with a 5-day PL focused on NGSS-aligned science and engineering instruction. Some modest supports that have since followed, such as professional learning community (PLC) sessions and dedicated electronic supports (e.g., Google Site, shared resources, etc.). These sessions have been tailored to support teachers in these rural settings. Since the project began, we have collected responses from participating teachers about supports they believe would aid their understanding of science and engineering instructional strategies. We are continuing to collect data as teachers are planning science and engineering learning experiences for their classrooms. Our presentation will share details about teachers’ needs and rural contexts, and findings about the immediate impacts of the intervention.
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This content will become publicly available on April 18, 2027
From Isolation to Community: Sustaining NGSS Professional Learning for Rural Educators
This session presents how an online teacher professional learning (PL) program is addressing the unique needs of rural educators in grades 3–5 by creating opportunities to connect with peers, engage in intentional STEM tasks tied to local communities, and leverage community assets. The PL supports teachers in understanding the instructional shifts called for by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The program includes an intensive online summer institute followed by five types of “modest supports” designed to sustain the implementation of the NGSS: synchronous professional learning community sessions, structured materials such as NGSS lessons and a resource library, dedicated project-sharing spaces, and project newsletters. We will share program features and teacher perspectives, offering insights into sustaining PL outcomes that support the unique needs of rural teachers. Attendees will leave with “modest supports” that they can implement in their own communities.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2201249
- PAR ID:
- 10691782
- Publisher / Repository:
- National Science Teaching Association (NSTA)
- Date Published:
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Location:
- Anaheim, CA
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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