A Grow-Your-Own Pipeline Program for Pre-Service Underrepresented High School Science Teachers at Rider University

Rider University, Lawrenceville NJ

Investigators

Abstract

This Noyce Teacher Scholarship and Stipend project will train 24 STEM teachers to teach in high-needs high schools in central and southern New Jersey. The goal of the project is to develop sound, adaptable, and sustainable strategies for increasing the number and quality of K-12 science and math educators from underrepresented groups, particularly Latinos, in these traditionally low income communities. The objectives are to (a) recruit student cohorts from Rider University and partner community colleges, (b) deliver sustainable academic and extracurricular programming that supports the development of highly qualified and culturally responsive high school STEM teachers, (c) provide frequent opportunities for faculty development across campus to institutionalize an emergent culture of civic engagement into STEM courses, as a tool to increase retention of the participants, and (d) support these teachers during an induction period. The project will increase the number of high-quality high school science and math teachers from underrepresented groups, particularly Latinos. Relying on social science research, the project clearly identifies challenges (inadequate mathematics and science preparation, poor self-efficacy, negative sociocultural factors, hostile campus climate, and economic burdens) that underrepresented students face as they attempt to attain STEM degrees and describes how these challenges will be addressed. Central to the project are the development of culturally responsive teachers through the incorporation of Science Education for New Civic Engagements & Responsibilities (SENCER) techniques into their STEM curriculum, the creation of a grow-your-own recruitment plan that integrates elements such as family-centered and bilingual and bicultural engagement, and the use of established inquiry-based professional development institutes during the induction period. Project evaluation will focus on the effectiveness of the educational strategies used for the Noyce scholars before graduation and during induction. Affective outcomes such as STEM teaching self-efficacy will be examined along with academic success, and retention in the field. The effectiveness of the scholars' teaching practices will also be assessed using teaching evaluation scores from AchieveNJ, the state educator evaluation agency. Project curricula will be disseminated through the SENCER website and results will be submitted to the Journal of STEM Education or the Journal of Research in Science Teaching.