Professional development is crucial for teachers to build their skills and adopt three-dimensional science. Effective professional development should be ongoing, collaborative, and spread over time to ensure lasting changes in teaching practices. Rural teachers often face isolation and less training compared to their urban counterparts, limiting their opportunities for collaboration. This research explored how technology-mediated lesson study (TMLS) helped rural teachers improve their teaching abilities and three-dimensional science skills. TMLS adapts lesson study using technology, allowing teachers to collaborate remotely. Based on four years of evidence, this research developed and refined the steps of TMLS with rural science teachers. This work also aimed to improve their three-dimensional science teaching abilities by forming small, collaborative groups that co-design, implement, and evaluate lesson plans together. Overall, TMLS offers rural teachers a valuable platform to enhance their teaching skills, collaborate meaningfully, and overcome the challenges of isolation.
2025 ISLS Conference - Paper Presented by Heather Leary
Tuesday, June 10 - Friday, June 13