Laying the Groundwork for Dual-degree Pathways for Educating STEM Teachers Bound for Success

Webster University, Saint Louis MO

Investigators

Abstract

With support from the NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, this Capacity Building project aims to serve the national interest in high-quality STEM teaching by preparing more STEM-certified teachers to serve in high-need school districts. The project intends to build this capacity by reviewing and updating curricula to produce highly-qualified graduates in four years with dual degrees in a STEM field and in education. It intends to create smooth pathways for transfer students to enter and succeed in these dual-degree programs. The project will develop or strengthen partnerships between Webster University and St. Louis Community College, Ritenour School District, and nonprofit organizations, including the Academy of Science of St. Louis and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. These partnerships will contribute to advancing capacity for submission of a collaborative Noyce Track 1 proposal. The project will investigate factors that affect undergraduate STEM majors' interest in teaching as a career. As a result, it can contribute new knowledge about pathways to teaching for STEM undergraduates and the challenges faced by high-need school districts in attracting and retaining outstanding STEM teachers. The project activities involve reviewing and updating pathways to dual degrees in education and one or more STEM fields (chemistry, biology, mathematics, or computer science), and revising formal articulation agreements between the University and Community College to incorporate these new pathways. It is expected that the updated curricula will provide high quality mentoring, relevant field experiences, and meaningful research opportunities for STEM majors interested in teaching careers. The project intends to use surveys and interviews with multiple stakeholder groups to understand 1) specific difficulties faced by local high-need schools in hiring and retaining highly qualified STEM teachers and 2) factors that inhibit students from dual majors in STEM and education. The project expects to develop new recruiting strategies to inform prospective and current students about the new dual degree pathways. The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 mathematics and science teachers in high-need school districts and experienced, exemplary K-12 STEM teachers to become STEM master teachers. It also supports research on the persistence, retention, and effectiveness of K-12 teachers in high-need school districts. 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.