ITERATING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AND STUDENTS FOSTERING A GEOSCIENCE COMMUNITY AND STEM CAREER PATHWAYS

Southern Nevada presents ample opportunities for phenomenon-based geological investigations; however, place-based learning needs to account for more than access; it should also consider the different funds of knowledge and resources that learners bring into the space. In year two of an NSF-Funded GEOPAths project focused on creating community and supporting STEM career pathways, researchers and community members began to iteratively develop, shape, and ideate how to optimize professional learning opportunities in this environment. This work leverages Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and Communities of Practice learning theory to support participants' growth and community. Local high-school teachers (20), district admin (2), educational researchers (3), geologists(5), and geology students (3) worked together over a week-long summer professional learning opportunity. The common goal was to experience local natural phenomena while conceptualizing learning opportunities for themselves and high school students. The guiding research question was: When developing professional learning opportunities and communities, how do different stakeholders' requests and needs become realized? To answer this research question, we conducted a case study centering on community feedback and project implementation. Feedback from Year One conveyed that: teachers valued and wanted more: planning time, access to scientists, and administrative involvement to ensure alignment with district instructional goals. In response, the second summer institute: increased the involvement of undergraduate geoscience students in the professional learning process, included more administrative input/participation, and built additional planning time into the fall and spring semesters. This second professional learning opportunity invited fewer scientists, but those who participated were more focused on the overall educative mission of the project. This research poster documents the opportunities, challenges, and benefits garnered from meeting the community's needs and the feedback from the most current cohort.