Preparing Transformational Computer Science Teachers for High-need Urban Schools

New York University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national need for a greater number of teachers licensed to teach computer science and students with disabilities. The project proposes to prepare STEM undergraduate majors and professionals interested in a second career to become highly qualified secondary teachers of computer science, as well as teachers of students identified as having disabilities. The project will provide scholarships to students in the fourth year of their undergraduate STEM degree as well as during a one-year Master of Arts program. This program will prepare the Scholars for dual certification in both computer science education and special education, as they earn a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree. This novel teacher preparation program will work with established partnerships with New York City schools to place these new, highly qualified teachers into high need schools and support them during their first year of teaching. The project at New York University includes a partnership with the New York City Public Schools. Project goals include: 1) generating knowledge about recruiting STEM majors and professionals into teaching computer science for all students, and particularly those students identified as having disabilities; 2) increasing access to computer science instruction for all secondary students in New York City; and 3) supporting and promoting teacher induction and retention in computer science teaching. The project is designed to prepare thirty new teachers, in two cohorts. Beyond informational outreach, recruitment activities will also include free extracurricular computer science workshops with public school middle school students where STEM undergraduates and professionals will have opportunities to engage with students and experience pedagogical strategies supported in MAT program. The project will bring together coursework addressing general issues of pedagogy, computer science education, and special education, as well as clinical experiences in New York City public schools to prepare these Scholars to support secondary learners in the diverse urban settings. Noyce Scholars will also receive mentoring in their first year of teaching, in the form of observations from project team members, as well as two paid professional development workshops designed to support first year secondary teachers in computer science and special education. 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.