Project Grant 2300743

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $653,723 project grant under its Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12) program to the University of Illinois. The 4-year project will develop and test a professional development model that empowers high school science teachers to adapt curriculum materials to integrate students' knowledge and community resources. Working with education researchers, teachers, scientists, and community organizations, the project teams will go through cycles of curriculum analysis and adaptation to create science instruction that is more relevant, engaging, and encouraging for students to pursue STEM careers. Outcomes will include increased teacher use of Next Generation Science Standards-aligned pedagogy, development of teachers' critical consciousness and self-efficacy for culturally sustaining practices, and enhancement of students' science epistemologies and agency. Additionally, the study will provide frameworks, tools, and sample materials to support similar curriculum adaptation programs at other sites across the U.S. The University of Massachusetts and University of Colorado will also contribute as sub-grantees to this collaborative project.