Partnering to Prepare STEM Master Teachers for Michigan's Middle Schools

Michigan Technological University, Houghton MI

Investigators

Abstract

The project aims to serve the national need of developing and retaining highly effective STEM master teachers. The project involves a STEM-dominant technological university, a primarily undergraduate institution known for expertise in teacher education, and high-need school districts in Michigan. Through this collaboration the project will recruit, train, and retain high-quality STEM teacher leaders that can serve as effective mentors and address a systemic shortage of science teachers. Due to chronic understaffing and low retention rates, increasing proportions of STEM teachers are inexperienced and/or underprepared; a problem that most affects high-need school districts. This problem is important because students' learning is negatively impacted when effective teachers are not available. This project provides a proven, effective pathway to train practicing teachers to serve as effective mentors and leaders in their schools through collaboration with other teacher leaders around the State. The expected outcomes of this project are: development of 30 practicing science teacher leaders in diverse, high-need schools in grades 5-9; and development of an online master's degree designed for STEM teachers offered by two partnering universities. The role of teacher leaders is critical for improving the performance of students in STEM courses and increasing students’ interest in pursuing future STEM courses and careers. This project at Michigan Technological University includes partnerships with Northern Michigan University, Copper Country Intermediate School District, Kalamazoo Public Schools, Kentwood Public Schools, Marquette-Alger Regional Education Service Agency, Menominee County Intermediate School District, Midland Public Schools, and the Upper Peninsula Center for Educational Development. Project goals include the recruitment and preparation of 30 new STEM teacher leaders over six years for service in grades 5-9 in diverse, high-need schools within Michigan, and provide an accessible track to earn their master's degree. Despite a need for teacher leaders, most high-need schools lack the resources needed to transform practicing teachers into teacher leaders. This project addresses that need by preparing teacher leaders to employ evidence-based methods to continually enhance their own effectiveness and help less experienced and novice teachers do the same. Teachers will receive the training necessary to deliver long-term benefits to their schools by providing mentoring and professional learning to their colleagues. This project intends to ultimately improve the performance of students in STEM courses, increase students' interest in pursuing future STEM courses and careers, and serve as a model for partnering efforts in other states. Western Michigan University will perform external evaluation. The evaluators will collect and review quantitative and qualitative data related to program implementation and the effect of project programming on instructional practices and leadership skills. Project findings and materials will be disseminated through publications, presentations, and workshops. 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.