Southeastern Regional Robert Noyce Conference: Removing Barriers in STEM Teacher Education

University Of South Alabama, Mobile AL

Investigators

Abstract

With support from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce), the Southeastern Regional Noyce Conference aims to serve the national need of strengthening the network of STEM preservice teachers, early career teachers, and STEM teacher educators. The project has the potential to advance teachers' STEM content knowledge, as well as their knowledge of effective teaching practices. This professional development can help the teachers better meet the needs of their students. The conference can also contribute to the efficacy of Noyce projects and the ability of the awardees to sustain the activities beyond the award period. The conference will include activities that address vital concerns of early career educators in mathematics and science, including infusing STEM concepts into the curriculum and understanding of diverse needs and cultural competency. The conference will engage participants in professional development specific to the needs of their content area. Additionally, the conference will provide opportunities for community development and mentorship, and thus have the potential to promote teaching improvement and psychosocial wellbeing among early career educators. The Southeastern Regional Noyce Conference, hosted by the University of South Alabama, aims to provide participants with a deeper understanding of the content and pedagogy that supports STEM learning for students from low-resourced and high poverty areas, resulting in empowering participants to meet the needs of all students. Each year of the three-year project, the conference will serve approximately 300 members of the Noyce community. Ongoing project activities that will supplement conference efforts include research experiences for regional Noyce scholars and in-service teachers, formation of a community of Noyce regional PIs and scholars/fellows through the Noyce buddy program, and cultural competence and awareness professional development. The Southeast region includes 10 states: Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. Potential benefits to society include equipping Noyce scholars with knowledge and experiences, as they develop into teachers, so that they can improve the educational experiences of thousands of children. The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 STEM 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.