STEM Education-Career Pathway for Emerging Forensic Analytics: Innovative Professional Development in Multimodal Environments

Abstract

This multi-tier STEM Career Builder grant, funded by the National Science Foundation, focused on professional development to prepare high school teachers for teaching information systems and analytics. The project teams partnered with Apple, IBM, and the FBI to research and develop innovations including forensic databases, immersive environments, and forensic analytical tools with interdisciplinary curricula, real-world contexts, and emerging technologies. Thirty teachers were provided with four knowledge-acquisition and skill-development venues with innovations: an annual conference, teacher institute, and a summer academy. Mixed data were collected via surveys and focus groups. Project findings revealed that strategic PD and innovations impacted teachers positively.