Needs Assessment of K-12 STEM Teacher Professional Development

The Missouri Transect has created several professional development (PD) opportunities for K-12 STEM educators. PD can serve as a powerful tool for updating and expanding teacher knowledge, transforming teacher practice, and ultimately improving student learning. The STEM education community has conducted extensive research on best practices for PD, but there is a dearth of empirical evidence regarding teacher perspectives on PD. The last published account of teacher perspectives including Missouri educators is based on a data set that is nearly 15 years old (Chval et al., 2007). This study offers useful information, but it did not employ a statewide representative sampling scheme, and a great deal has changed in STEM fields, STEM education, and mechanisms for delivering PD since those data were collected. To address this gap and inform PD opportunities developed as a part of the Missouri Transect, the Education and Outreach team in partnership with the University of Missouri College of Education and Assessment Resource Center conducted a statewide need assessment of K-12 STEM teacher PD.

The complete technical report of the needs assessment can be accessed here.

A white paper prepared for Missouri’s higher education institutions, teacher educators, and professional development providers can be accessed here.

A copy of the complete survey used to conduct the needs assessment can be accessed here.

A secondary analysis of the needs assessment data is being prepared for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. A copy of this article will be made accessible here when it is available.