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Professional Learning Community of Practice (NSTA)

Participants take a group photo outside a building.

The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Professional Learning Community of Practice brings educators together in mentored, asynchronous mini-courses in combination with synchronous professional learning seminars on using high-quality instructional materials. Educators come together to discuss student engagement and learning.

    Logic Model

    Program Activities

    Educators

    Participate in asynchronous mini-courses with mentoring (mentors provide feedback)​ Attend synchronous professional learning seminars using high quality instructional materials (examples), then report back about student engagement/learning​

    Program Near-Term Outcomes

    Educators

    Increase their self-efficacy for approaches to STEM teaching​ Improved pedagogical content knowledge for STEM teaching​ Become part of a STEM learning community

    DSEC Near-Term Outcomes

    Educators

    Changes in teacher approaches to teaching STEM Concepts, practices, and careers in their classrooms​ Increased participant STEM competencies (STEM skills, knowledge, abilities, and confidence)​

    Participant Perspectives

    Participant perspectives reflect survey responses from 2025-2026, the first year of survey administration.

    Of 132 educator participants, 61 responded to the survey.

    Educators

    • Disagree
    • Slightly Agree
    • Moderately Agree
    • Strongly Agree
    The NSTA Professional Learning Community of Practice improved my instructional approaches to teaching STEM in my classroom.
    n = 61 valid responses
    The NSTA Professional Learning Community of Practice improved my confidence for teaching STEM in student-centered ways.
    n = 61 valid responses
    The NSTA Professional Learning Community of Practice improved my knowledge of pedagogical strategies that support student engagement in STEM lessons.
    n = 61 valid responses
    Participating in the NSTA Professional Learning Community of Practice helped me see the value of participating in a STEM learning community.
    n = 61 valid responses
    Participating in the NSTA Professional Learning Community of Practice improved my sense of belonging in a STEM learning community.
    n = 61 valid responses
    Participating in the NSTA Professional Learning Community of Practice provided me with a network of peers with whom to share and solve problems of practice.
    n = 61 valid responses
    Program Data

    Program data includes participants from both years of Base Period (2024-2025 and 2025-2026). 

    Educators

    189 total educator participants

    Educator Type

    Category Count %
    District Administrator or Staff 23 12.2%
    School Administrator 10 5.3%
    Teacher 134 70.9%
    Other 22 11.6%

    Educator Grade Levels

    • Elementary: 42 educators (22.2%)
    • Middle: 43 educators (22.8%)
    • High: 47 educators (24.9%)
    • Multiple Grades: 53 educators (28%)
    • Undergrad: 4 educators (2.1%)
    Category Count %
    Educator Elementary 42 22.2%
    Educator Middle 43 22.8%
    Educator High 47 24.9%
    Educator Multiple Grades 53 28%
    Educator Undergrad 4 2.1%

    Military-Connected Educators

    Category Count %
    Military-connected 26 13.8%
    Not Military-connected Educator 163 86.2%
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