Preparing STEM Teachers for Western Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Western University, California PA

Investigators

Abstract

With support from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce), this Track 1: Scholarships and Stipends project aims to serve the regional need for highly-qualified STEM teachers in high-need school districts. The U.S. Department of Education has identified a growing teacher shortage in Pennsylvania, particularly in mathematics and science. The primary goal of the project is to increase the number of highly qualified middle and high school STEM teachers who are ready to teach in high-need urban and rural Pennsylvania schools. Over a five-year period, this project plans to award 17 two-year scholarships to upper-division undergraduate STEM majors, who will be supported to complete their STEM degree and teaching certification. In addition, the project plans to award 12 one-year stipends to post-baccalaureate STEM scholars, to support their attainment of teaching certification. The Noyce Scholars will participate in rural and urban capstone field experiences at educational facilities specializing in Trauma Informed Care Models. These experiences are expected to help the Scholars develop versatile skills that will be applicable in any school district. While at the university and for the first three years after their employment at teachers, the Scholars will have STEM and teacher mentors and access to professional development opportunities. These supports are expected to contribute to the Scholar's success as teachers and their retention in the teaching profession. The training that the Scholars receive is designed to ensure that they can use effective teaching practices in their classrooms, thus improving their students' learning in STEM. The project plans to recruit Scholars from three populations: 1) current STEM undergraduates at the University, who will be supported to earn both their STEM degree and a teaching certification; 2) community college students who will transfer to the University and will be supported to complete their STEM degree and teaching certification; and 3) post-baccalaureate scholars who will be supported to earn their teaching credential. To accomplish recruitment goals, the University has developed collaborative relationships with Butler Community College, Jamestown Community College, and Allegheny Community College. To broaden the teaching experience of the Noyce Scholars, it has also developed collaborations with rural school districts (Corry Area School District, Union City Area School District, and Penncrest School District) and diverse urban school districts (City of Erie School District and Pittsburgh School District). As a result, Scholars will have both rural and urban classroom experiences prior to their employment as teachers. The project leadership team anticipates that studying the effects of recruiting and retaining students from urban upbringing and providing them with rural experiences (and vice versa) will provide unique pedagogical training for future STEM teachers. Consequently, this project has the potential to be a model for other teacher-preparation universities who aim to provide training for multiple school environments. 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.