This paper presents the design and rationale of a novel workshop model that integrates high school teacher professional learning with out-of-school STEM learning experiences for students from racially and ethnically minoritized backgrounds. Grounded in a conceptual framework that combines situated learning theory, research-based principles of effective professional development, and culturally inclusive and responsive pedagogy, the workshop engages teachers and students as co-learners in authentic, collaborative, integrated STEM activities. By situating professional learning within the same context as student learning, the workshop offers teachers an immersive, integrated STEM experience that can inform their instructional practices while simultaneously fostering STEM interest among underrepresented youth. The goals of this paper are to (1) describe this hybrid teacher professional learning and student out-of-school STEM learning workshop, (2) provide guidelines for professional learning developers and informal educators who are interested in creating integrated STEM learning experiences to support teachers and/or students, and (3) provide some evidence of the workshop’s value for both teachers and students. Findings from post-workshop interviews with teachers suggest that they gained valuable knowledge and insights about how to incorporate integrated STEM activities into their own classrooms. For students, participating in the workshop led to an increased interest in STEM and provided insights and new perspectives on the realities and possibilities of working in a STEM field. Thus, these findings suggest that hybrid teacher professional learning and student out-of-school STEM learning experiences have the potential to strengthen teacher pedagogy and broaden participation in STEM among historically marginalized groups.
Apedoe et al. (Thu,) studied this question.