Secondary STEM Catalyst professional learning program

The program, delivered by the Science and Mathematics teams at Deakin, began in 2016 with an induction program for two teachers, called catalysts, and their Principal, from each of the disadvantaged schools. The catalysts then began a 4-Unit Graduate Certificate in STEM Education, which was completed in June, 2018. This project trained 60 teachers across 30 secondary schools in Victoria to lead, encourage and mentor other teachers in high-impact STEM education for students in the secondary years of schooling.

The STEM Catalyst research is monitoring the effectiveness of school planning and the implementation processes involved in the introduction of STEM to the school. The research will analyse schools and teachers experiences and responses.

The Deakin team is conducting a design based research cycle through which we identify the school and teacher leadership processes and curriculum activities that lead to effective teacher and student outcomes in STEM, to feed back into the Catalysts’ and principals’ planning processes.

Team members:

• Associate Professor Peter Hubber (Lead),
• Professor Russell Tytler,
• Dr. Coral Campbell,
• Associate Professor Colleen Vale,
• Associate Professo Linda Hobbs,
• Dr. Gaye Williams,
• Dr. John Cripps Clark,
• Dr. Peta White

Funding: Grant from the Department of Education and Training (Victoria)

Publication: Faulkner, F., Kenny, J., Campbell, C., & Crisan, C. (2019). Teacher learning and continuous professional development. In L. Hobbs & G. Törner (Eds.), Examining the Phenomenon of “Teaching Out-of-field”: International Perspectives on Teaching as a Non-specialist (pp. 269-309). Dordrecht: Springer.