Association for Science Teacher Education

Association for Science Teacher Education
Name	Association for Science Teacher Education
Abbreviation	ASTE
Formation	1970s
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	United States
Region served	International

Association for Science Teacher Education is a professional association focused on the preparation and professional development of preK–16 and informal museum science educators, university college faculty, and school-based Teacher leaders. Founded by teacher-educators with roots in state and national organizations such as the National Science Teachers Association, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and regional Council of Chief State School Officers networks, the association links instructional research, curriculum development, and classroom practice. It collaborates with federal agencies, philanthropic foundations, and international bodies to influence policy, teacher preparation, and science pedagogy.

History

The organization emerged amid the reform movements of the late 20th century influenced by events and institutions such as the Sputnik crisis, the National Science Foundation, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and university centers at Columbia University, Stanford University, and Teachers College, Columbia University. Early leaders included faculty from University of Georgia, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Michigan State University, and University of Texas at Austin who had ties to projects funded by the Carnegie Corporation, the Ford Foundation, and the National Research Council. Over successive decades the association broadened connections with international partners such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and regional ministries in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Mission and Objectives

The association's mission emphasizes preparing equitable, scientifically literate educators through scholarship, advocacy, and collaboration with entities like the National Academy of Sciences, the American Chemical Society, and the American Physical Society. Objectives include improving teacher education programs at institutions such as Harvard University, University of California, Berkeley, and Ohio State University; promoting research aligned with standards from the Next Generation Science Standards effort and reports by the National Research Council; and fostering partnerships with organizations such as the Smithsonian Institution and the California Academy of Sciences.

Organization and Governance

Governance follows a typical non-profit model with an elected board and committees drawing members from universities like Boston University, University of Minnesota, University of Colorado Boulder, and Arizona State University. Officers liaise with agencies including the U.S. Department of Education, the Institute of Education Sciences, and regional bodies such as the Association of American Universities and state departments in Texas and New York. Standing committees address professional standards, ethics, diversity and inclusion, and international outreach, working with partners like the International Society for Technology in Education and the Council for Exceptional Children.

Activities and Programs

Programs include mentoring cohorts for early-career faculty modeled after initiatives at University of Michigan, research-practice partnerships akin to those at RAND Corporation and Learning Research and Development Center, and curriculum design institutes paralleling efforts at the Exploratorium and WGBH Educational Foundation. Professional development offerings align with credentialing from institutions like Teachers College, Columbia University and networks including the National Network of State Teachers of the Year. The association administers awards patterned after honors from the American Educational Research Association and organizes workshops in collaboration with museums such as the Field Museum and science centers like the Ontario Science Centre.

Publications and Conferences

The association produces peer-reviewed journals, monographs, and conference proceedings comparable to publications from SAGE Publications, Springer Science+Business Media, and university presses at Cambridge University Press and Routledge. Annual conferences have been hosted at venues including American University, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Purdue University, and international sites in Toronto, London, and Sydney. Conference keynote speakers have come from institutions such as Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of Oxford, and have engaged with themes reflected in reports by the National Science Foundation and the National Academies Press.

Membership and Partnerships

Membership spans faculty, K–12 practitioners, informal educators, and doctoral candidates affiliated with organizations like the National Education Association, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, and regional teacher associations in California, Florida, and Illinois. Strategic partnerships include collaborations with the National Geographic Society, American Museum of Natural History, and international consortia such as the International Council of Associations for Science Education and the European Science Education Research Association.

Impact and Recognition

The association's influence is evident in curricular reforms at universities including Vanderbilt University and University of Washington, policy citations by the United States Congress and state legislatures, and practitioner adoption documented in district collaborations with New York City Department of Education and Chicago Public Schools. Members have received honors from bodies such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Science Board, and the Royal Society and have contributed to influential reports by the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine.

Category:Professional associations