Positioning teachers as active co-researchers examining problem-based learning in school-based STEM education

To explore Problem Based Learning (PBL) as a way to enhance Australian school-based STEM education, researchers from Monash University and Queensland University (UQ) are working with Melbourne Archdiocese of Catholic Schools (MACS) and Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE). One of the key intentions of this research is to actively position teachers as coresearchers to ensure they are translating research findings in ways which reshape their professional thinking and PBL practices in the area of STEM education. This has required researchers to strategize the conditions that position teachers as self-directed learners. The analysis of data from the first of five professional learning (PL) days indicated teachers’ expressed passive expectations for learning, where they were waiting for input to develop their thinking. This required facilitators to strategize ways future PL sessions could position teachers as key decision makers about their own learning and their contribution to the research overall. This required facilitators to think and work differently to actively create conditions that enabled teachers to notice and attend to their practice in ways that were both personally meaningful and contextually relevant. Findings from this research have implications for how teacher focused PL is structured, particularly in STEM education.