- Year 2016
- NSF Noyce Award # 1540769
- First Name Brad
- Last Name Hoge
- Discipline STEM
- Co-PI(s)
Judith Quander, University of Houston – Downtown, quanderj@uhd.edu
Jacqueline Sack, University of Houston – Downtown, sackj@uhd.edu - Presenters
Brad Hoge, University of Houston – Downtown, hogeb@uhd.edu
Need
ESPRIT de Corps will provide secondary teacher certification and a UHD Professional Certificate in Dual-Credit Math or Science Teaching for STEM professionals and post-baccalaureate STEM majors through a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree plan with 18 hours of graduate level content courses. The overall goal of the ESPRIT de Corps is to increase recruitment of STEM professionals into teaching and ultimately retain them once they are in the classroom.
Goals
The ESPRIT de Corps program is designed to accomplish four goals:
1. Provide fellowships for STEM professionals wishing to enter teaching careers earn both secondary Grades 7-12 teaching certification in mathematics or science, a Master’s of Arts in Teaching (MAT) and a UHD Professional Certificate in Dual-Credit (science or mathematics) Teaching so that they are qualified to teach undergraduate lower-level dual-credit mathematics and science courses in high school.
2. Ensure quality field experience opportunities by placing candidates with vetted, high-quality mentor teachers that have experience mentoring preservice teachers as part of working with the UHD Noyce Mathematics and UHD Noyce Science teacher scholarship programs.
3. Provide ongoing professional development and support during the first four years of the fellows teaching in high-needs districts to support success and long-term retention as secondary mathematics or science teachers in the high-needs districts.
4. Create and foster a collaborative community including UHD faculty, beginning teachers from the existing UHD Noyce Mathematics and Science Teacher Scholarship programs and the Esprit de Corps Noyce Teaching Fellows.
Approach
ESPRIT de Corps will provide $12,000 scholarships to three cohorts of 8 STEM post-baccalaureate students per year over the first four years of the project. A total of 32 Noyce Teaching Fellows will receive certification through the UHD MAT program, and a UHD Professional Certificate in Dual-Credit (science or mathematics) Teaching from the content specific department. To receive the Professional Certificate, fellows will take graduate content courses totaling 18-hour graduate credit in mathematics or science, as required by SACS for dual-credit teacher certification. Fellows will participate in field experiences during the second year of their program. Upon completion of the MAT program, Teaching Fellows are required to teach in high-need schools. Teaching Fellows will continue to receive $10,000 supplemental stipends from ESPRIT de Corps for four years after they complete the program.
Outcomes
ESPRIT de Corp will increase the number of MAT students seeking certification in STEM areas. This UHD Noyce program will further support the synergy between the Departments of Urban Education (UE), Natural Sciences (NS), and Mathematics and Statistics (MS) and make the MAT with STEM concentration successful. UHD currently has two Noyce grants, one in the Natural Science Department (NS), and one in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics (MS). ESPRIT de Corps will replicate successful aspects of both programs as well as utilizing additional strategies informed by the formal assessment of previous UHD Noyce programs. The NS online learning community HUNSTEM will connect ESPRIT de Corps to numerous community partners to provide support and expertise for this project. The housing of ESPRIT de Corps at the University of Houston – Downtown will allow ESPRIT de Corps to be sensitive and responsive to the educational needs of the surrounding under-served community.
Broader Impacts
ESPRIT de Corps will increase the number of highly qualified science and math teachers in at-risk schools in the greater Houston area; increase the supply of dual credit STEM teachers for high-needs school; encourage more STEM professionals to enter the teaching profession; and facilitate the transition of STEM professionals into their teaching careers.
