- Year 2019
- NSF Noyce Award # 1557254
- First Name Kristine
- Last Name Callan
- Discipline Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Geosciences, Math, Physics
- Co-PI(s)
Wendy K. Adams, Colorado School of Mines, wkadams@mines.edu;
Renee Falconer, Colorado School of Mines, rfalcone@mines.edu - Presenters
Savannah Logan, Colorado School of Mines, sllogan@mines.edu
Need
There is a serious shortage of secondary math and science teachers in the United States, and relatively few recruiting materials have been developed and tested to help meet this need. This poster will describe how we have developed and tested new materials to recruit secondary teachers and help fill this gap.
Goals
What written and visual materials work best for recruiting future STEM teachers? Do location or demographics play a role in the success of recruitment materials? Do faculty and students react differently to recruitment materials?
Approach
We worked with a marketing expert to develop tag lines, sentences, and other written material based on our previous research on perceptions of teaching as a profession. We then tested those materials using surveys and focus groups with faculty and students at several US universities.
Outcomes
Our research has shown that certain statements and tag lines about teaching give a positive view of the profession, while others, while appearing positive on the surface, have a negative impact on views of the teaching profession. Furthermore, our results suggest that location plays a significant role in determining which written materials resonate most with students and faculty, and that demographics may play a role in determining which visual materials work best in recruiting future teachers. Lastly, we have determined that faculty and students react differently to recruiting materials and that separate materials must be developed depending on your target audience.
Broader Impacts
The nation is facing a serious shortage of qualified secondary STEM teachers; without recruiting new teachers to meet this need, science and math education in the United States will decline at all levels. By developing new, research-based materials for recruiting secondary STEM teachers, we hope to help close this gap, which will strengthen STEM teacher education programs and ultimately bring a better understanding of science and math to both future STEM professionals and the general public.
