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Harleen Singh, California State University Stanislaus, United StatesAbstract
This qualitative study provides an international perspective on how science coordinators support teachers in an online environment, as it explores the roles of science coordinators in supporting science teachers. The practices, attributes, and knowledge (PAK) and resources that science coordinators draw upon as they support teachers in an online environment are investigated. The participants of this study are fifteen science coordinators at the school or district level from ten countries, including Canada, Chile, Mainland China, India, Kenya, Pakistan, Turkey, Taiwan, the United States, and Vietnam. The participants were selected based on their role of supporting school science teachers, not based on their job titles, which varied across countries. This study uses the concepts of organizational resources and capital as the framework to understand the experiences of school science coordinators in supporting science teachers in an online environment. The three categories of resources considered are human, material, and social resources. Data for the study were collected in the form of semi-structured interviews. Interview transcripts were analyzed thematically using two cycles of inductive coding. Findings from the study reveal that the PAK important to SCs in an online environment involved working with people, emphasizing the importance of soft skills. Their PAK emphasize collaboration, creativity and interpersonal skills. This study reveals that the science coordinators drew upon social and material resources to support science teachers. The results underscore the value of building interpersonal attributes in school leaders and teachers. The study has implications for preparing and supporting science teachers teaching online.
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