Recruiting and Preparing a New Generation of Mathematics, Science, and Computer Science Teachers for High Need Schools

University Of Texas At Arlington, Arlington TX

Investigators

Abstract

The nation is facing a critical need for STEM teachers. The shortages are most severe in high-poverty urban districts and many of these districts are forced to employ teachers who are less qualified to teach STEM classes. In response to the STEM teacher shortage in Dallas-Fort Worth (urban) school districts, this Track 1 Noyce project at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) seeks to address this need for high quality teachers by recruiting, preparing, inducting, and retaining teachers for secondary science, mathematics, and computer science to teach in high need schools. Specific project objectives are to: 1) recruit mathematics, science, and computer science teacher candidates from students at community colleges and baccalaureate programs, and career changers from local industry; 2) provide a quality teacher certification program for candidates with significant faculty mentoring, support, and professional development experiences integrated throughout the program; and 3) support and promote teacher induction and retention in the teaching profession, implementing various levels of guidance from professional educators, school-based Mentor Teachers, and Near-Peer Mentors. This Noyce project builds upon previous successful UTA Noyce projects in partnership with the Dallas, Arlington, and Ft. Worth Independent School Districts. The Tarrant County College is a community college partner that can assist in expanding the pipeline of new secondary science, mathematics, and computer science teachers. One new aspect of this effort is the recruitment of computer science majors to the teaching profession. This Noyce project seeks to provide scholarships to 50 STEM majors to prepare and certify them as highly qualified teachers in the shortage areas of science, mathematics, and computer science. The project intends to provide summer internships to 40 STEM first year and sophomore students as a strategy for recruiting teacher candidates. The project aims to give at least 33% of the scholarships to community college transfer students. Eligible first- and second-year transfer students will have priority for summer internships. Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students will be given scholarships and pathways to earn teacher certification through UTA's nationally accredited UTeach Arlington program. Additional project features and supports for Noyce Scholars include UTA faculty mentors; school-based Mentor Teachers throughout early field experiences, student teaching, and induction into the profession; a Near-Peer mentoring program; and Scholar Learning Seminars and conference participation as continuous professional development. The UTA program's Noyce Scholar Leader (an experienced retired teacher) will provide sustained guidance through visits and support induction of new Noyce teachers into the profession. This Noyce project includes an ongoing research component that aims to measure Noyce Scholars' learning and transition into teaching, including shifts in self-efficacy toward teaching, primary teaching practices, and views of the nature of mathematics and science disciplines. The project also intends collect information on best practices in the recruitment, preparation, induction, and retention of new STEM teachers. Results of this research will be presented at professional conferences and published in scholarly journals. The primary benefit of this Noyce project will be the new science, mathematics, and computer science teachers produced who will serve in schools where they are most needed. Other institutions of higher educations may also benefit from the results from the project's research effort and project evaluation, which may provide valuable information on best practices for preparing teachers for high need schools. 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.