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2019 Simulations in Teacher Education Conference

Research simulations teacher ed conference
February 19–21, 2019 Louisville, KY

 

The Simulations in Teacher Education Conference (NSF Grant #1813476) was facilitated by ETS and the University of Central Florida in February 2019, and was aimed toward building a research and development agenda for examining the role of simulations in K–12 science and mathematics teacher education. The conference was structured to provide opportunities for attendees to share their current research, theoretical models, conceptual views, and use cases focused on the design and use of simulations for building and assessing K–12 science and mathematics teachers’ competencies.

Watch the Stem for All Video Showcase to see photos and video from the conference.

The conference was organized around several major goals, including:

  1. defining how simulations (technologically mediated and face-to-face formats) are conceptualized, operationalized and utilized in K–12 science and mathematics teacher education
  2. documenting and determining the challenges of the varied contexts, audiences and purposes for which simulations are used in K–12 science and mathematics teacher education
  3. making explicit the theories of action and conceptual views supporting the simulation models being used in K–12 science and mathematics teacher education
  4. determining implications of the current research and development work in this space and establishing an agenda for studying the use of simulations in K–12 science and mathematics teacher education

Pre-conference submissions

Short papers

Prior to the start of the conference, each conference attendee — working either individually or with a small team — authored a brief paper to describe the focus of their current work developing, using, and/or studying the role of simulations in K–12 science and mathematics teacher education. In addition to an overview, each short paper included a description of the project's guiding theory of action explaining how the key features of the simulation model being used are hypothesized to develop teachers' competencies. Each short paper also described the project's main research findings (if applicable) and learnings, and posed some ideas and questions about future directions for work in this area.

View the conference short papers (PDF).

 

Synthesis papers

Following their short paper submissions, each conference attendee had an opportunity to read and review a set of four short papers written by other conference attendees about their current work developing, using, and/or studying the role of simulations in K–12 science and mathematics teacher education. After reading these short papers, each conference attendee then authored a paper to synthesize ideas across the various projects. Each synthesis paper highlighted observations about the commonalities and/or differences in how the authors of the short papers define simulations, in the theories of action used, and in the lines of research and development described.

View the conference synthesis papers (PDF).

 

Conference sessions and presentations

Below are presentations of some of the conference sessions. View the full conference schedule (PDF).

 

Plenary Session #1: Exploring Use Cases and Assessment Design — Simulation Models and Theories of Action in Science

Plenary Session #2: Exploring Use Cases and Assessment Design — Simulation Models and Theories of Action in Mathematics

Plenary Session #3: Exploring Use Cases and Assessment Design — Simulation Models and Theories of Action Targeting Special Populations in Science and Mathematics

Meet the conference attendees

Research Conference Attendees
Back Row: Meghan Shaughnessy, Univ. of Michigan; Justin Reich, MIT; Andrew Wild, Woodrow Wilson Academy of Teaching and Learning; Christine Wilson, E. Carolina Univ.; Jamie Mikeska (PI), ETS; Sean Smith (Leadership Committee), Horizon Research; Amanda Benedict-Chambers, Missouri State Univ.; Daniel Levin, Univ. of Maryland-College Park; Eric Lange, Lamar Univ.; John Pecore, Univ. of West Florida; Benjamin Dotger (Leadership Committee), Syracuse Univ. Middle Row: Tim Boerst, Univ. of Michigan; Elizabeth Davis, Univ. of Michigan; Paige Ware, Southern Methodist Univ.; Joan Walker, Pace Univ.; Rebekah Berlin, Univ. of Virginia; Rachel Garrett, AIR; Minsung Kwon, CSU Northridge; David Kretschmer, CSU Northridge; Karen Bell, SUNY at New Paltz; Julia Jackson Cohen, Univ. of Virginia; Rhonda Bondie, Harvard Univ. Front Row: Greta Farrell, Woodrow Wilson Academy of Teaching and Learning; Ann Marie Wernick, Southern Methodist Univ.; Elizabeth Self, Vanderbilt Univ.; Heather Howell (PI), ETS; Meredith Thompson, MIT; Hala Ghousseini, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison; Angela Chapman, Univ. of Texas Rio Grande Valley; Angelica Scruggs, UCF; Kate Ingraham, UCF Kneeling: Mike Hynes (PI), UCF; Lisa Dieker (PI), UCF; Craig Berg, Univ. of WI-Milwaukee; Morgan Russell, Mursion Photo Credit: Andrew Croft, ETS Unable to Attend: Daniel Chazan (Leadership Committee), Univ. of Maryland; Mark Windschitl (Leadership Committee), Univ. of Washington

Note: This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant #1813476. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. This event was co-facilitated with the University of Central Florida.