Preparing Next Generation Science Teachers with STEM Plus Art and Design (STEAM) Approaches

Adelphi University, Garden City NY

Investigators

Abstract

With support from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce), this Track 1: Scholarships and Stipends project at Adelphi University aims to serve the national need of preparing high-quality science teachers for high-need school districts. This project aims to address an acute shortage of well-prepared grade 7-12 science teachers in Long Island and Queens, New York. Building on lessons learned from the prior Adelphi Noyce project, this project shifts the focus to STEAM (STEM + Art and Design), which is intended to foster creativity through engagement with the arts and project-based learning. This approach is expected to promote deeper understanding and facilitate the transfer of knowledge across STEM subjects. The project will make use of the University's Makerspace, engage STEM majors working towards teaching certification in clinical practice at partner schools where STEAM is embedded through an interdisciplinary approach, and partner with two community-based organizations that offer STEAM programming. At each clinical practice site, scholars will be paired with accomplished mentor teachers. By preparing science teachers to use creative endeavors and Maker challenges to frame STEM learning, STEM may become more accessible to youth who are typically underrepresented in STEM disciplines. The project aims to recruit, support, and prepare 24 science teachers, including those from typically underrepresented groups, to take STEM teaching positions in high-needs school districts. Undergraduates working to obtain baccalaureate degrees in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, or environmental studies will be recruited through Adelphi's Scholar Teacher Education Program, a five-year, combined baccalaureate and master's program for students preparing to teach at the adolescent level. They will receive Noyce support for the junior, senior, and master's years. In addition, one year of support will be provided to STEM Professionals (i.e. graduates from STEM programs and/or career changers from STEM fields) as they earn Master of Arts in Education degrees with teacher certification. This project is a partnership of Adelphi University, the Mineola Public Schools, New York City Department of Education/Queens High School for Teaching, Global Kids, Operation SPLASH, and Nassau Community College. This project is designed to equip future science teachers with the knowledge and pedagogical skills needed to implement the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in their instruction. Distinguishing elements of the preparation and induction program include the following four activities: 1) The STEAM Laboratory I, STEM into STEAM, is a course in which Noyce Scholars will explore and tinker with materials linked to the NGSS, including basic electronics, 3D printing, Arduino, LilyPad, Makey-Makeys, small motors, and green screens as they develop knowledge, skills and interest in integrating the arts into science instruction; 2) The STEAM Laboratory II, Computer Programming for Hackers and Makers, is an introductory computer programming course that takes advantage of the creative environment of the University's Makerspace to introduce students to big ideas in computer science and computational thinking; 3) The STEAM Summer Internship supports Scholars as they serve as informal education teachers for STEAM programming in the Long Island Flood Resiliency Solutions, Flood Mitigation Designs, Resilient Housing Solutions, and Water Quality Studies projects; and 4) The Scholar Learning Communities support continued professional development during Scholars' first two years of teaching, focusing on evidence-based instructional practices, developing and implementing new instructional ideas in their classrooms, and continued use of the Makerspace. Knowledge generated by the project's research agenda focuses on the effectiveness of the STEAM-based model for science teacher preparation and may benefit other teacher preparation programs. The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 STEM teachers and experienced, exemplary K-12 STEM teachers to become STEM master teachers in high-need school districts. It also supports research on the persistence, retention, and effectiveness of K-12 STEM 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.