STeLLA Online

STeLLA Online: Investigating the Translation of a Highly Successful Video-based PD Model into an Online Environment

Pre-application is now closed. We are currently completing district research applications for those teachers who passed the initial screen.

Calling all 4th and 5th Grade Teachers!

BSCS Science Learning invites you to apply for an exciting professional development (PD) opportunity based on our nationally-recognized program, STeLLA^® (Science Teachers Learning from Lesson Analysis).

Participating teachers will receive a stipend of up to $3,000. The deadline to apply is Friday, December 11, 2020.

About the PD Opportunity

Between April 2021 and May 2022, we will be conducting a national trial of “STeLLA Online” for teachers in grades 4 and 5. There’s been a lot of buzz about the STeLLA PD model (check out this EdWeek article) and with good reason. STeLLA helps educators learn when and how to use high-leverage science teaching strategies through video-based lesson analysis. The face-to-face version of this program demonstrated impacts on both teacher and student learning above and beyond any impacts from a traditional science PD program.

We have been developing an online model so teachers across the country, in rural and urban areas alike, can take part in this exciting professional learning experience.

Participating teachers fulfill a vital role in this important research project about teacher and student learning in science. By participating in PD sessions, completing assessments, video-recording your science teaching, and providing feedback on your experiences, participants will contribute to a better understanding of science teaching and learning in elementary classrooms throughout the country.

Participation Requirements

The scope of this work requires approximately 90 hours of PD spread across the summer and the school year and includes the following tasks.

Please read the participation requirements carefully to decide if this opportunity is right for you.

• In April or May of 2021, either
  • share lesson plans for one unit related to either Earth’s changing surface or the water cycle, or
  • video record one class session of yourself teaching either Earth's changing surface or the water cycle (covid-19 conditions, permitting).
• In June – August of 2021, complete 10 online modules. Each module includes asynchronous assignments (4 hours per week) and synchronous sessions held via video-conference (2 hours per week). The total time commitment over the summer is approximately 60 hours spread evenly over 10 weeks. Asynchronous assignments for each week will have mid-week and end-of-week deadlines. Work must be completed by deadlines.
• In the Fall semester: September – November of 2021,
  • teach 7 Earth’s Changing Surface lessons provided by BSCS (each lesson is approximately 45 minutes in length),
  • film yourself teaching one of the Earth’s Changing Surface lessons, and
  • participate in six 2-hour synchronous sessions held via videoconference discussing your own video and the videos of your peers enrolled in the course.

The total time commitment in the Fall of 2021 is the time required to teach 7 lessons, and 12 hours of synchronous sessions via videoconference.

• In the Winter/Spring semester: January – March of 2022,
  • complete asynchronous assignments (1.5 hours per week),
  • participate in five 2-hour synchronous sessions,
  • administer student pretests,
  • teach 6 Water Cycle lessons with main learning goals and activities provided by BSCS (each lesson is approximately 45 minutes in length),
  • film yourself teaching one of the Water Cycle lessons, and
  • administer student posttests.

The total time commitment in the Winter/Spring of 2022 is the time required to teach 6 lessons, and 17.5 hours of synchronous and asynchronous PD.

Teacher Stipend and Recertification Credits

For your participation, you will receive a stipend of up to $3,000, paid in three installments, based on completion of requirements.

Participating teachers will receive up to 89.5 total hours of credit (based on actual participation). We will provide each teacher with a certificate of participation and will detail each teacher’s dates of participation. Teachers may be able to use the certificate toward recertification, depending on district policies.