Teachers Organizing Diverse Opportunities Across a STEM Ecosystem

University Of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM

Investigators

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national need for developing K-12 science teacher leaders. The project is designed to support the development of science teacher leaders who will become known as Noyce Master Teaching Fellows (MTFs). These MTFs will learn to provide their students, as well as other science teachers, with success in a STEM learning ecosystem. A STEM learning ecosystem refers to the way a variety of environments, such as schools, community settings, families, businesses, and museums, converge to create an array of learning opportunities for students. When teachers connect school science with diverse ways that science is done across a STEM learning ecosystem, they can likely support a greater diversity of students in gaining interest in science and experiencing increased achievement in science. This project intends to develop, mentor, and retain a cadre of 12 experienced and exemplary science teachers to strengthen a STEM learning ecosystem by pursuing three objectives. First is to build relationships and leadership across the STEM learning ecosystem which includes families, informal and formal STEM organizations, and STEM career and college pathways. Second is to organize diverse learning experiences that leverage connections across the STEM learning ecosystem and that broaden student interest and success in K-12 science. Third, and finally, is to take advantage of mentoring to become leaders in a science teacher professional association. This project at the University of New Mexico includes partnerships with the Taos, Gallup-McKinley, and Cuba school districts as well as the New Mexico Science Teachers Association, two national laboratories, two businesses, two cultural and community associations, and three museums. Over five years the project intends to provide fellowships to 12 experienced and exemplary practicing teachers from grades K-12. Project goals include building capacity for greater formal and informal networking among K-12 science teachers and other people in the STEM learning ecosystem. The project plans to provide summer institutes, a system of mentoring and networking, and university online micro-courses to support science teacher leaders in advancing their leadership skills, pedagogical skills, and content knowledge. A main goal is for science teacher leaders to use their new knowledge and network connections to create, implement, conduct action research, and disseminate lessons with storylines that connect to family, community, laboratory, and workplace ways of doing science. The project builds on theoretical knowledge about the STEM learning ecosystem and a relational form of leadership called Maize leadership. Similar to an ecosystem perspective, the Maize Model will guide the MTFs to build relationships and respect for diverse people because of a core purpose of holistic interdependent balance and well-being in life. It honors Indigenous values and has demonstrated success in creating pathways to school leadership for diverse cadres of people in New Mexico. This Track 3: Master Teaching Fellowships 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.