Ohio STEM Teachers for 21st Century Classrooms

Ohio State University, The, Columbus OH

Investigators

Abstract

This Noyce Teaching Fellows project is a collaborative effort between the Ohio State University College of Education and Human Ecology, College of Arts and Sciences, Columbus City Schools, and Center for Science and Industry (COSI) that aims to produce leaders in STEM teaching for high-needs, grade 7-12 schools. The objectives of the project are to (a) prepare 16 highly qualified STEM teacher leaders for high-needs, urban classrooms, (b) recruit participants from underrepresented populations, (c) develop close connections between informal science learning venues and teachers in high-needs schools, and (d) provide leadership training. Summer field placements at COSI will introduce the fellows to the challenges of presenting discovery-based, hands-on learning experiences to members of the general public, including everyone from young children to knowledgeable adults. A central theme of this proposal is extending the impact of the STEM teaching network within high-needs communities. Thus, the fellows' training will include an Urban Teaching Seminar that emphasizes culturally relevant pedagogy, an approach that research has shown to be especially effective when working with high-needs learners. The central theme will also be supported through the integration of informal learning into the fellows' professional development activities. Through COSI, the fellows will do summer field placements, design and implement new STEM themed Discovery Carts, and develop summer workshops that utilize the site's resources. The task of creating Discovery Carts will enrich the fellows' understanding of STEM topics and allow them to participate in the informal education of high-needs community members of all ages. Formative and summative evaluation will rely on a variety of surveys and interviews that will investigate the fellows' expectations and study the extent and effectiveness of their preparation. Fellows will be assessed for content knowledge, understanding of pedagogy (the Education Teacher Performance Assessment), and development as leaders (annual portfolio). The investigators will prepare and submit manuscripts related to this work to professional journals such as the Journal of Teaching and Teacher Education, The Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, the Science Educator, and The Mathematics Educator. The project will also host a website to distribute findings.