Preparing STEM Teachers in Western Pennsylvania

Geneva College, Beaver Falls PA

Investigators

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national need for highly effective and qualified STEM teachers. To do so, the project intends to recruit undergraduate STEM majors to pursue both STEM degrees and certification in secondary STEM education. These students, who may not have otherwise considered a career in teaching, will receive scholarships and additional supports designed to enrich their STEM knowledge and skills, as well as enhance their preparation for teaching. During their tenure as Noyce Scholars, the students will have opportunities for early research experiences to expand their STEM knowledge and skills. The Noyce Scholars will benefit from a modified teacher education curriculum that supports philosophies and strategies for teaching in high-need schools. They will apply this knowledge in their teaching experiences in secondary STEM classrooms in a high-need school district. Finally, the Scholars will participate in learning communities such as the Collaborative Professional Development Circle and ongoing mentoring that supports preservice and new teachers. The project expects to prepare the Noyce Scholars to implement student-centered teaching and STEM habits of mind, grounded in an understanding of the challenges of high-need school environments. This project at Geneva College, located in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, includes partnerships with New Brighton School District (a high-needs school district) and the Urban Impact Foundation. The goals of the grant are to: (1) recruit, enroll, retain, and graduate 22 qualified biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics majors prepared for secondary education certification over the five-year grant period; (2) support and prepare highly qualified STEM teachers who are trained to work in high-need classrooms; (3) place and retain 100% of the Noyce Scholars in teaching positions in high-need local education agencies upon graduation; (4) evaluate the effectiveness of the Noyce Scholars in the classroom through successful completion of state-mandated induction programs; and (5) use the assessment and evaluation results to institutionalize and sustain successful programmatic elements. The project seeks to generate new knowledge through creating a survey that will allow STEM teachers in high-need school districts to evaluate their teaching practices using effective evidence-based research. A high-quality evaluation and assessment process led by an independent evaluator will inform Geneva College and the larger academic and research community about the components that are most effective in STEM teacher recruitment, retention, and preparation. Results of the project will be widely disseminated to the local, academic, and research community via a project website, publications, presentations, and regional and national meetings and conferences. This Track 1: Scholarships and Stipends project is supported through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce). 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.