Teacher Professional Development in the Anthropocene

The Framework for K-12 Science Education presents a vision for the future of K-12 science education. This chapter provides background information for scientists and educators interested in implementing professional development for K-12 teachers as part of their academic work or outreach extensions of their scientific work. It provides background on what the literature reports as best practices in science teacher professional development, including evaluation of teacher professional development programs. The chapter shares vignettes from four different professional development programs to highlight practical examples of the application of these best practices. It provides a rationale and practical advice for scientists considering working in teacher professional development related to the Anthropocene. In particular, the chapter describes the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) Outreach and Education Group and their work to engage scientists in the important work of education related to the Anthropocene.