Developing STEM Master Teachers to Lead Digital Conversion in K-12 Schools

University Of Rochester, Rochester NY

Investigators

Abstract

This Noyce Track 3 Master Teaching Fellowship project seeks to address the growing national need for mathematics and science teachers who are equipped to provide instruction in digitally-rich classrooms. It builds upon previous work at the University of Rochester to develop teacher leaders. It also takes advantage of a newly formed Consortium of the University of Rochester and several school districts in upstate New York, that are working together toward district-wide digital conversion. The project will develop a group of teacher leaders, known as Master Teaching Fellows, to guide district-wide digital conversion efforts in high-need school districts. Digital conversion is a comprehensive process that that provides each student with a tablet or laptop computer and uses these computers to enhance student learning. Each Fellow will engage in a five-year program involving 41 credit hours of graduate coursework accompanied by related mentored experiences. Completion of this program will lead to an Advanced Certificate in Digitally-Rich Teaching in K-12 Schools, which is approved by the New York State Education Department. In addition, the Master Teaching Fellows will receive annual salary supplements, as they persist as classroom teachers who demonstrate effective use of digital resources. Through its project evaluation, the project will generate knowledge about how to prepare teacher leaders who can support implementation of high-quality, technology-enriched STEM instruction by others. Twenty experienced and exemplary mathematics and science teachers with master's degrees will be recruited from six high-need, small school districts (including three primarily rural districts) that are members of the Western New York Digital Conversion Consortium. This project will capitalize on the long-standing partnership established in previous Master Teaching Fellow projects between the University of Rochester (through its Warner School of Education and STEM departments), the Geneva City School District, the Newark Central School District, and the non-profit Rochester Museum & Science Center. It will also add new partners: East Irondequoit Central School District, a local pioneer in digital conversion, and three additional high-need rural districts from the Consortium (Dansville, Penn Yan, and Auburn). With more rigorous learning standards and the challenge of integrating new technology with instruction, it is imperative that researchers and practitioners collaborate to develop deep understanding of what is needed to achieve the full potential of digitally-rich teaching to improve student achievement, especially in STEM. This project will contribute evidence to the STEM education community about preparation of STEM teacher leaders to integrate digital resources into instruction, to lead their districts in digital conversion efforts, and to use technology to improve STEM instruction and increase student engagement. This program for the preparation of "digitally-rich STEM master teachers" has the potential to serve as a replicable model by other universities in the future. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.