California STEM Summit 2014

1. The California STEM Summit 2014
Case Studies of Reform and Innovation in
STEM Teacher Preparation
Dr. Joan Bissell, California State University
Dr. Deidre Sessoms, California State University, Sacramento
Dr. Vanessa Sheared, California State University, Sacramento
Dr. Teresa Cummings, Sacramento City Unified School District
Dr. Carol Fry Bohlin, California State University, Fresno
Gayle Spencer, Fresno Unified School District

2. Director, Teacher Education and
Public School Programs
California State University
Joan S. Bissell, Ed.D.

3. CSU & District Reform:
Comprehensive, Innovative, Collaborative
• Reshaping Teacher Preparation Continuum
• Reshaping Professional Development
Practices
• Enhancing knowledge and skills of STEM
educators and instructional leaders
Aligning with CSLNet “STEM Can Lead the
Way” Recommendations

4. CSU & District Reform:
Comprehensive, Innovative, Collaborative
Presentation Outcomes
• Learn approaches for empowering teachers to
infuse CCSS-M and NGSS
• Explore strategies to build STEM professional
identity
• Learn models of effective IHE/District
collaborations to prepare STEM teachers and
leaders

5. Director, Faculty Research Development
Professor, College of Education
Dean, College of Education
Vanessa Sheared, Ed.D.
Deidre B. Sessoms, Ph.D.
Teresa Cummings, Ph.D.
Chief Accountability Officer

6. Sacramento Pathways to Success
• MOU between SCUSD, SCC, Sacramento State
• District-Wide Awareness to STEM
• K-12 focus on Career Awareness, Exploration, Pathways
• Expanded Learning and STEM
• Expansion of Linked Learning Pathways, Work-based Learning
opportunities, Robotics, Mathletes and First Lego League
• Near future: Linked learning 7th & 8th Grade; PreK and TK Career
Awareness opportunities

7. Sacramento Pathways to Success
• Collaborative grant funded projects
• Title 2 ITQ: The Equity Network
of PDS Sites
• CAGism, e-SCI, ISIM:
STEM-focused projects
• Linked Learning
STEM workforce development

8. Sacramento Pathways to Success
• Collaboration with labor, government
agencies, industry, non-profits, IHEs
• Who Benefits?
• Who are we?
• What do we bring to the table?
Sacramento Employment Training Agency,
Workforce Investment Board, Sacramento Labor
Council, Area Congregations Together,
Parent/Teacher Home Visit Project, NextEd

9. Empowering teachers to infuse CCSS-M
and NGSS
• UNDERGRADUATES: curricular redesign in 4 science
courses targeting Liberal Studies majors
• CREDENTIAL/PRESERVICE: Content Specific Student
Teaching experiences associated with elementary math &
science methods courses/instructors
Methods Faculty
Student TeacherCooperating Teacher
Design & co-teach
CCSS/NGSS lessons

10. REFLECTION/APPLICATION
9. a. As a result of the inquiry process, what was the impact on instructional practices and student achievement?
b. In what ways were you able to integrate STEM into your unit of study?
c. Share your learning about student development, instructional practice, academic content, and/or yourself as a teacher.
REFLECT
10. a. Describe how you will apply new learning to future practice.
b. How do you plan to integrate STEM in future practice?
APPLY
BTSA: Unit of Study in STEM
Induction Plan (C-1)
Empowering teachers to infuse CCSS-M
and NGSS

11. • Enhancing
knowledge and
skills of STEM
instructional
leaders
• Research to
Practice and
Policy

12. • Basic skills mathematics: the perspectives of community
college mathematics instructors regarding factors
affecting student success, Samia Aguirre
• A study of underrepresented individuals who utilized
community colleges as pathways to gain admission into
engineering schools at four-year universities, Samer
Batarseh
• Hispanic student transfer pathways from community
college to a 4-year public university in science,
technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines,
Kevin Gonzalez
STEM Dissertation Topics, spring 2013
High School – CC – University Transition

13. Effective IHE/District collaborations to
prepare STEM teachers and leaders
• Alternative Induction Program
• Fifty teachers first year
• Foundational Level Math Credential Program
• Seventeen teachers
• Foundational Level General Science Credential Program
• Eleven teachers
• Principal Leadership Academy and STEM
• Cohort of 10-15 teachers begin April 2014

14. Gayle Spencer
Teacher on Special Assignment
Fresno Residency Program
Fresno Unified School District

15. Fresno State / Fresno Unified
School District Partnership
• Funded by S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation
• Goal: Develop exemplary teachers of STEM in grades 4-8
in order to improve student academic achievement
• Strategy: Alter existing teacher preparation via coursework
revision and continuous clinical experience, and develop
professional development school sites to enhance
interaction between and among Fresno State faculty and
Fresno Unified teachers/leaders
• 2-year award: $740,869 total monetary support

16. Key Activities
• Enroll 40 Residents over two years
• Develop a course of study combining early field experience,
Multiple Subject Teaching Credential coursework, and Master
of Arts in Education requirements
• Coursework co-taught by Fresno State faculty and Fresno
Unified leadership/academic coaches
• Residents spend significant time in Mentor’s classrooms
• Residents receive a $12,500 stipend while pursuing their
credential/degree; Mentors receive $3000/year.
• Residents receive significant professional development
provided by Fresno Unified, in addition to other opportunities.
• Residents commit to teach in FUSD for a minimum of 3 years.

17. FUSD Professional Development
SEMESTER 1:
• Co-Teaching strategies
• CHAMPS
• Productive Talk
• Class Management
• CCSS and Practice
standards
• CSTP
• Skillful Teacher (3Xs)
• AVID
• Class video production
• FUSD digital resources
• Webb’s Depth of
Knowledge
• Lesson Plan Design
• Strategic Grouping
• SIOP (3Xs)
• BEST curriculum
• VAPA
• NGSS

18. Additional coursework/training
• Physics Outreach
• Semester 1 – 7 Residents
• FLM and FLGS teaching
methods courses
• Semester 2 – 13 Residents
• FUSD specific training on
CCSS and NGSS
• Multiple and Single Subject
CSET prep courses/training
provided by both Fresno State
and FUSD.
• Substituting for Mentor
only
• Attend all FUSD training
with Mentor
• Teach MS/HS summer
school math or science
• Teaching Channel access
and use in coursework
• Planning and program
development meetings
• Participate in Cohort II
interviews

19. • Substituting for Mentor only
• Attend all FUSD training with Mentor
• Teach MS/HS summer school math or science
• Teaching Channel access and use in coursework
• Planning and program development meetings
• Participate in Cohort II interviews
FUSD/CSUF TRP monthly calendar

20. Carol Fry Bohlin, Ph.D.
Professor; Special Assistant to the Provost
for STEM Initiatives
Director, Math and Science Teacher Initiative
California State University, Fresno

21. Early Professional Engagement
to Build Professional Identity
• Professional Memberships: CMC, CSTA, NCSM, NCTM
• Professional Conferences (Fall 2013):
• California Science Teachers Association Annual Conf.(Palm Springs)
• California Mathematics Project's Annual Conference at Asilomar
• California's 1st Statewide STEM Conference (Sacramento)
• Local CCSS and NGSS Workshops/Institutes
• Fresno County Office of Education's
CCSS-M Conference with Alan November
• CMC-C/SJVMP CCSS-M Saturday
Workshops, Jim Hiebert presentation, etc.
• Central Valley Science Project Institute

22. Fall 2013 Professional Learning (by student)

23. Support K-8 STEM Teacher
Pathways: FLM & FLGS Credentials
• Workshops: CSET Math and Science Content Review
• Middle School Mathematics and Middle School General
Science Pedagogy Courses (with memberships)
• Science content and engineering literacy courses
• Reimburse CSET fees and credential application fees
• Support NGSS & CCSS conference & workshop attendance
• Provide subscription to COMET; encourage lifelong learning

24. Physics Pedagogy and Outreach Course
• 3-semester-unit course (Physics 168S)
• 2 hours of seminar + 3-hour service-learning outreach
experience during after-school program time
• Mixture of Liberal Studies, Math, and Science majors;
Multiple and Single Subject credential students

25. Physics 168S ~ Course Topics
Physics Content
• Pressure • Torque
• Mechanical Advantage • Electricity
• Linear Momentum • Magnetism
• Angular Momentum
• Bernoulli’s Principle
Pedagogy
• Constructivism
• Discrepant events
• Misconceptions
• Conceptual change
• Inquiry

26. Physics 168S Impact
Media coverage included local affiliates for CBS, Fox, NBC, & Univision.
Fall 2012
• 30 different schools: 14 elementary, 3 middle, 12 high schools, and one college
• 8 school districts – Fresno, Reedley, Clovis, Madera, Sanger, Visalia, Oakhurst, and Parlier
Spring 2013
• 27 different schools: 17 elementary, 9 high schools, and one college
• 10 school districts – Fresno, Selma, Lemoore, Oakhurst, Clovis, Kettleman City, Madera,
O'Neals, Lindsay, and Coalinga (as well as Children's Hospital of Central California)
Fall 2013
• 40 different schools: 20 elementary, 4 middle, 8 high schools, 2 colleges and 6 private or
charter schools
• 11 school districts – Chawanakee, Clovis, Cutler-Orosi Joint, Fowler, Fresno, Madera,
Hanford, Island Union Elementary, Merced, Sanger, & Selma (as well as Children's Hospital)