Leveraging Technology for Justice-Oriented Science Teaching

San Diego State University Foundation, San Diego CA

Investigators

Abstract

Noyce Track 1 at San Diego State University aims to serve the national need of preparing and developing highly qualified science teachers. This project will support 25 undergraduate science majors by offering them paid internships in science teaching at local summer camps and summer schools. Additionally, this project will support 41 science majors with scholarships to enter the teacher credential program in science teaching. Upon completion of the credential program, this project will offer mentoring to the novice teachers.  The proposed project components will enable high achieving future and current, novice science teachers to effectively teach science, incorporating technology and relevant experiences for their students. This project at San Diego State University includes a partnership with San Diego Unified School District, a district with a student population of approximately 95,000. The project has several goals. First, over five years, the project will recruit a group of twenty-five (25) university freshman, sophomore, and junior science majors into paid field experiences to encourage them to consider science teaching as a career. They will have the opportunity to work alongside experienced teachers and assess their own fitness for the teaching profession. Related to this, a second goal is to recruit a total of forty-one (41) high achieving university students who are majoring in, or have received degrees in, biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, geosciences, mathematics, or physics in SDSU's College of Sciences to receive a one-year scholarship to complete a credentialing program for K-12 science teaching. During the credential program, professional development workshops will be offered to the preservice teachers. For a third goal, project leaders will investigate the processes of recruiting, supporting, and retaining science majors to become science teachers who embody a dedication to technology-based and authentic science teaching. Fourth, the project team will implement and study transitional professional development support for the recipients' first year of teaching. Across these components, this project will support undergraduates, credential students, and novice in-service teachers. This project will be iteratively evaluated. Evaluation of the project will be guided by the following evaluation questions: a) Q1-In what ways does a summer internship influence undergraduate science majors to assess their fitness for a career in science teaching and decide whether or not to apply to a credential program; and (b) Q2-What do participants perceive as being the most critical or most lacking supports for novice science teachers during their credential program and first year in the classroom? The results of this project will be disseminated to help enhance the field. 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 teachers to become STEM master teachers in high need school districts. It also supports research on the effectiveness and retention 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.