Northern California Math and Science Teachers

Chico State Enterprises, Chico CA

Investigators

Abstract

The Northern California Math and Science Teachers project aims to advance the national need for preparing and retaining qualified math and science teachers in high-need schools. This Track 1 Noyce project at California State University (CSU), Chico, will support the education of 25 students to become highly qualified teachers who are prepared to succeed in diverse classrooms. The project will provide scholarships to undergraduate math and science majors, as well as post-baccalaureate STEM credential candidates. The project will explore how undergraduate experiential learning opportunities, such as summer undergraduate research experiences and serving as learning assistants, affect teacher retention. Reports from the National Academy of Sciences recommend that student become involved with faculty mentors and professional activities early in their undergraduate training. The project responds to this recommendation by requiring each scholar to attend a seminar course focused on research-based practices that support secondary learners in the northern California region. These practices include place-based learning, grit, and growth mindset. The results from this work may provide evidence for improving existing STEM education and teacher education programs and broaden support for undergraduate research. This project will examine the impact of experiential learning opportunities on undergraduate and pre-service teachers through surveys, interviews, classroom observations, and performance on course assignments. Specifically, the project will attempt to answer the following questions: (1) What demographic, educational, occupational variables, or other information about Noyce scholars predict their behavior throughout and after the program? (2) What are the most successful recruitment and marketing strategies for attracting a large and diverse pool of math and science teachers? and (3) How effective are various retention strategies? To inform and improve practices, the project team will share findings across departments at CSU-Chico, via department meetings, newsletters, and evaluations of the undergraduate experiences. Findings will also be disseminated at regional conferences. 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.