STeLLA FAQs

General Information

1. What does STeLLA stand for?
STeLLA stands for Science Teachers Learning from Lesson Analysis, a professional development program and research study.

2. How is STeLLA funded?
The STeLLA professional development program is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF is interested in finding out whether a PD program such as STeLLA helps teachers teach science in a manner that results in more students learning more science.

3. Who can participate in STeLLA?
STeLLA is open to all 4th, 5th, and 6th-grade teachers in the greater Colorado Springs area. 

If you are not certain whether you teach in a participating district and are interested in STeLLA, please contact Justine Newell, BSCS, jnewell@bscs.org; 719-219-4182

4. What does it mean to be part of a research study? What is required of me and my students?
First, you agree to be randomly assigned by school to one of two PD programs:

  1. a content-deepening PD program, or
  2. a lesson analysis PD program that uses videocases of teaching as the primary vehicle for teacher learning.

Regardless of the PD program to which you are assigned, you will receive high-quality professional development from science faculty of The Colorado College and/or BSCS professional development leaders.

Second, you agree to complete pre-, mid- and post-program assessments, which include a teacher science content knowledge test, an analysis of science teaching, and classroom video of your teaching practice.

Third, you agree to schedule time for BSCS research team members to administer pre- and posttests to the students in your classroom. Each test takes about one hour to administer. 

Fourth, you agree to obtain parent permission for students to be included in the videotaping of one science lesson in the spring of 2012 and one in the spring of 2013.

5. How much time does the STeLLA PD program require?
STeLLA is a one-year professional development program that begins in the summer of 2012 and ends in May 2013. The entire program includes 88.5 hours of professional development – 58.5 during a 9-day summer institute and 30 hours of PD during the school year 2012-13.

The summer institute will be held on July 16-26 (excluding the weekend) on the campus of The Colorado College, from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. each day. The academic-year sessions will average once a month for 4 hours either after school or on Saturdays, as selected by each study group.

The academic-year sessions will be scheduled by the study groups and the study group leaders, either BSCS PD Leaders or CC science faculty and will be held either on the CC campus or at BSCS, 5415 Mark Dabling Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80918.

6. Who will provide the STeLLA professional development?
For those in the content-deepening group, science content faculty from The Colorado College (CC) will provide the PD.

For those in the lesson analysis group, the PD will be provided by both CC science faculty and PD Leaders from BSCS.

 

My Participation in STeLLA

8. Can I earn college credit by participating in the program?
A teacher who completes the STeLLA PD program can earn six university graduate credit hours through the continuing education department of Colorado State University (CSU).

The credits will be offered pass/fail.

Each teacher must pay for the graduate credits himself/herself. The grant does not cover the cost of university credits; however, the credits are offered at a very reasonable cost through CSU.

9. Do I need to have a science background to participate in STeLLA?
No, a science background is not required to participate in STeLLA. The purpose of the professional development is to help teachers deepen their understanding of science concepts so they will feel more comfortable teaching science in the classroom.

10. Will I be paid for my participation in STeLLA?
Yes, each teacher who completes the year-long program and participates fully in all assessments, assignments, and PD sessions will be paid a total of $1,950. The stipend will be paid to teachers in three increments of $650 each:

  1. following the summer institute,
  2. in December 2012, and
  3. in May 2013, at the conclusion of the program.

11. Is attendance at the Summer Institute important?
Attendance at the summer institute is mandatory as are all study group sessions during the academic year. 

12. Will I need to purchase anything during the PD program?
We do not anticipate that you will have any out-of-pocket expenses during your participation in the STeLLA PD program.

 

Videotaping in My Classroom

13. I understand that my students and I will be videotaped during the STeLLA program. How many times will I be videotaped?
We will videotape one science lesson in your classroom this spring (April - May 2012) and then a second lesson at the conclusion of the program in May 2013.

The first video will serve as "pre-program" documentation of your science teaching. The second video will serve as a "post-program" comparison of how your teaching has improved during the STeLLA PD program.

Those teachers assigned to the lesson analysis PD program will be videotaped one additional time in the fall of 2012. Clips from these videotapes will be shown during the teacher's study group session in a respectful manner. All teachers in a study group will share video clips of their classrooms to analyze science teaching and learning with the goal of improving their practice and student learning.

The videotaping might seem like a scary proposition, but experienced STeLLA teachers rave about the value of the video experience for their learning and growth.

14. Does the videotaping require parent permissions?
Yes, you will need to obtain permission from parents for students to appear in the videos of your science lessons. BSCS will provide forms for you to send home to parents for their signatures.

Any student who does not return a signed permission form will still attend class. Those students without parent permission will need to be seated in an area of the classroom that will not be included in the video.

15. Who will see my videos?
The pre- and post-videotapes of classroom science teaching and learning will be viewed only by the BSCS research team and yourself. We will provide you with a DVD of all of your videos.

Short clips from the fall video of the teachers in the lesson analysis PD program will be viewed by the BSCS PD Leaders and other teachers in that teacher's study group.

No one else within a school or the school district will have access to the videotapes unless they are shared by the teacher him/herself.

16. I have some challenging students. Will this impact the video?
No, challenging students will not impact the video of a teacher's classroom.

The videos are of real teaching in real classrooms in real time. Because nothing is "staged," the classrooms will show a wide range of students engaged in a range of activities. Almost all classrooms include students with a range of challenges related to learning, so everyone is really in the same boat.

The researchers and fellow teachers who view the videos are experienced professionals and recognize that not all students are the same and that some students present challenges in the teaching of science. The STeLLA PD program does not emphasize classroom management but helps viewers look beyond those aspects of the classroom to the learning in which students are engaged.

The STeLLA program uses a specific lesson analysis protocol that focuses on the teaching and learning of science and not on behavior or other management issues.

BSCS © 2012

 

Information about Videotaping in Your Classroom

As part of the STeLLA research study and professional development program, you will be videotaped teaching one science lesson before the STeLLA program begins (spring of 2012) and again at the end of the STeLLA program (spring of 2013).

Read below for more information about the videotaping of a science lesson in your classroom.

Schedule Your Videotaping Session

1. Scheduling the Videotaping 

  • Click here to schedule your videotaping session.
  • Choose an hour of time that best fits your schedule.
  • Note that the videographer will arrive prior to taping to set up the camera equipment.
  • The scheduling software will automatically block out one hour after your session to account for equipment break-down time as well as travel time between schools.

2. Planning Your Lesson 

  • You may choose the content and format of the science lesson to be videotaped. Please choose a lesson from your district science curriculum and plan for a 45- to 60-minute science lesson.
  • In the lesson, students may work in small groups, as a whole class, or individually - or all of the above at different times during the lesson. Students should be active participants in the lesson. (In other words, we do not want to videotape students taking a test or only completing a written assignment.)

3. Parent Consent Prior to Your Video Session 

  • BSCS will provide parent consent forms to all teachers.
  • The videographer will collect the signed parent consent forms.
  • Please let the videographer know which students, if any, cannot appear in the video. Any student who does not have a signed parent consent form should participate in the science lesson, but must be seated outside of the camera's line of sight.

4. What to Expect During the Videotaping Session 

  • The videographer will set up two cameras. One camera (the "still camera") will be placed, most likely in the front of the classroom, to record a wide angle of the room. A second camera (a "roving camera") will follow you and your interactions with the class and/or small groups of students. The roving camera, which will be operated by the videographer, will likely require some movement of the camera within the classroom.
  • The roving camera will include a boom microphone system that will be directed toward students to capture high-quality audio recordings of students' comments.
  • Teachers will wear a lavalier microphone for audio recording.
  • Students are typically fascinated with the camera. A few students might be shy. A brief announcement asking students to ignore the camera and not look directly into the lens is helpful. You might allow students to wave or pose in front of the camera prior to the lesson to get the excitement of the camera out of their systems.

5. Who Will See Your Videotape 

  • The video of your science lesson will be viewed only by you and the BSCS research team. The videos will be held in strict confidence and will not be shared with your principal or with any other district personnel. BSCS will provide to you a DVD of your classroom videos (pre-program and post-program) at the conclusion of the STeLLA PD program (May 2013).