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Background

The first year of implementation of the Toronto District School Board’s (TDSB) K-12 STEM Strategy included a study conducted with 80 teachers, 50 administrators, 10 STEM Learning Coaches1, and 439 students in 60 STEM pilot schools in the TDSB. This fact sheet details important findings from Administrators. Fifty (50) administrators, representing various grade levels, participated in the study.

Figure 1: The TDSB’s K-12 STEM Strategy

1 In this Fact Sheet, STEM Learning Coach and STEM Coach are used interchangeably.

TORONTO DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD STEM STRATEGY RESEARCH SERIES III:

IMPACT ON ADMINISTRATORS

IMPACT ON COACHES

IMPACT ON COACHES

IMPACT ON COACHES

IMPACT ON TEACHERS

STEM FACT SHEET III: ADMINISTRATOR Issue 3 August 2017

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How do administrators feel about the first year of implementation of the initiative?

Nearly all administrators (98%) indicated that the STEM initiative should be continued in schools. Administrators also saw STEM as something that is here to stay. Eighty-four (84%) of administrators strongly disagreed or disagreed with the statement “I see STEM as another “fad” that will soon go away” thus, demonstrating administrators believe that STEM is not a fad, but an important and long-term aspect of education. Administrators believe that we should give the STEM initiative more time and support.

One of the main aspects of the STEM initiative was STEM Learning Coaches. Eighty percent (80%) of administrators felt the STEM Learning Coach model was a very effective or moderately effective model; and that it should be retained and improved.

Figure 2: Overview of Administrators’ Feelings about First Year of STEM Initiative

What are administrators’ perceptions of STEM?

The results of our study showed that TDSB administrators and teachers strongly believed in the value of STEM to: 1) assist students in developing the skills and competencies needed for living in the world; 2) enhance student learning, and 3) help students solve real world problems. Administrators (over 90%) strongly believed in the value of STEM for improving student learning.

On the other hand, some administrators (26%) felt a STEM transdisciplinary approach can diminish the importance of individual content areas. A strategy proposed to address the issue of diminishing the importance of individual content areas is to promote a transdisciplinary STEM approach and use concrete applications related to the curriculum to illustrate how the problem solving design framework draws on content and processes from many STEM disciplines.

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Figure 3: Administrator Perceptions of STEM

What are administrators’ perceptions of the professional learning support provided?

Administrators felt the quality of professional development provided by STEM Coaches was of a high standard and met the content and pedagogical needs of teachers. A large majority of administrators (71%) rated the quality of support received from the STEM Learning Coaches as excellent to very good.

Those teachers and administrators who reported that the STEM Learning Coach model was slightly effective” or “not at all effective” were asked about what other models of coaching they would suggest. Their responses overwhelmingly indicated that the coaching model strategy should be retained but that it should be improved.

Their recommendations included:

Increasing the number of STEM Coaches,

Having the STEM Coaches onsite more frequently

Having the STEM Coaches being part of the staff Hiring STEM Coaches with a greater depth of knowledge

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Figure 4: Administrators’ Perceptions of Professional Support Provided

What level of STEM implementation do the administrators report?

Most of the pilot schools (76%) reported to be at the partial implementation stage. The partial implementation stage refers to the fact that STEM methodology is being implemented in training, but not all teachers are implementing it yet. The remaining schools are at the full implementation stage (16%) or preparation stage (8%).

Most of the schools have implemented the following activities and processes to implement the STEM initiative: (1) STEM Coach, (2) professional development, (3) interdepartmental learning and teaching, and (4) upgrades to technology.

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Figure 5: Level of STEM Implementation

What do administrators feel was done well with STEM implementation?

Administrators reported that STEM Learning Coaches provided excellent support in the following ways:

Providing STEM teaching and learning resources,

Supporting teaching in using the STEM resource kits and monographs,

Providing professional learning focused on hands-on learning experiences, and

Co-planning with teachers and assisting with classroom lessons and programs.

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Figure 6: What was done well with STEM implementation?

What do administrators feel was NOT done as well with STEM implementation?

Administrators believed that the following were important barriers to STEM implementation:

A lack of needed resources (funding, equipment, supplies) o Only 22% of schools received STEM monographs and 28% received interactive

probeware and software technologies.

Followed by a lack of teacher content knowledge in STEM disciplines

And to some extent non-supportive teachers

Administrators identified time as a large challenge (e.g., timetable constraints, not enough relief time, STEM activities take a lot of time and not enough classroom time available).

Additionally, administrators indicated that they did not receive as much support from STEM Coaches in the areas of:

Career information

STEM start-ups

Success criteria and metrics to assess the effectiveness of the STEM program

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Figure 7: STEM Implementation: Problem-Areas

What types of leadership do administrators believe are important for the successful implementation of the TDSB STEM initiative?

Administrators were asked about what types of leadership the Principal should provide to enable the

successful implementation of the TDSB STEM initiative. The top results included:

• Provide Support (e.g., be supportive, access to resources, provide time for planning

innovative programming. Etc.)

• Be a Leader (e.g., forward thinking, growth mindset, encouraging, etc.)

• Risk-Taker (e.g., open to change, thinking outside the box, willing to think about

alternatives)

• Provide Professional Development (e.g., STEM Coaches, collaboration among departments,

etc.)

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Figure 8: School Leadership Needed

What recommendations do administrators have for moving forward?

Overwhelmingly, administrators would like the STEM initiative to be continued and believe that it should be given our continued support. Administrators’ biggest recommendation is for additional funding for more resources, more STEM Coaches and new technology. Other recommendations include:

Continued and consistent access to STEM Coaches (Hire more coaches, STEM Coaches being onsite consistently, coaching being part of the staff and hiring STEM Coaches with a greater depth of knowledge)

More funding (i.e., to buy resources, purchase supplies)

Professional development for administrators

Provide more time for teachers to plan and implement STEM teaching activities

More time for planning and collaboration

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Figure 9: Recommendations Moving Forward

Cite as:

Sinay, E., & Ashley, N. (2017). Toronto District School Board STEM research series I: Impact on administrators: STEM fact sheet III – administrators.

ISSUE 3, August 2017. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Toronto District School Board.