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Life Cycle of RITES Implementations: The Past, Present, and Future History of a Statewide Effort to Improve STEM Education

Abstract

"RITES provides supplemental Professional Development (PD) to 5th through 12th grade science teachers throughout Rhode Island that emphasizes the innovative use of technology and inquiry-based teaching. The premise is that our PD will result in more effective STEM teaching, which will in turn generate gains in student achievement. In addition to demonstrating RITES materials, this presentation chronicles the evolution of our supplemental PD from its inception as PD linked to New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP), to a vehicle for transitioning STEM curricula to an NGSS-based framework for improving student performance in RI and elsewhere. The presentation will document our efforts to maintain program fidelity in the light of unexpected challenges and opportunities related to an educational environment in flux."