Bridging and brokering across communities of practice: A STEM coach’s role in helping teachers access expertise

STEM education aspires toward integrated and contextualized instruction, both difficult goals for teachers. Expertise from within outside the school are resources helping teachers access content knowledge practices in their classrooms. In this project, a coach supported to integrate contextualize instruction. Connectivity between teachers, experts, other indicated opportunities curricular integration contextualization was measured through social network analysis of teacher journals interviews. The dramatically increased connectivity district bridging brokering relationships, maintaining global vision district’s initiative, navigating interpersonal relationships. Teachers utilized expertise enhance curriculum. Having central actor (coach) allowed rapid widespread advancement initiative.