- Year 2023
- NSF Noyce Award # 2151148
- First Name Katie
- Last Name Guffey-McCorrison
- Discipline Chemistry, Engineering, Geosciences, Life Sciences, Physics
- Co-PI(s)
André M. Green, David Forbes, Justin Sanders, Tres Stefurak
- Presenters
S. Katie Guffey-McCorrison, André M. Green
Need
The results from the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress science assessment drives the work of this project. Science scores are significantly declining for the lowest performing eighth graders in all three content areas (physical, life, and Earth and space science) compared to 2015. At the same time, science scores are significantly increasing for higher-performing students. The achievement gap between low-performing students, who are often enrolled in Title one schools, and high-performing students is still growing, even though several initiatives have been made by the U.S. Department of Education to improve student achievement in low-performing schools. This project will add to the body of knowledge that identifies factors that attract science majors to careers as science teachers.
Research Questions
How can we recruit and retain more science teachers who are racially and ethnically diverse? How can we create meaningful science learning experiences with science organizations in the community? How can we close the achievement gap between low-performing students in title one schools and high-performing students in affluent schools? How can we foster meaningful relationships between past and present Noyce scholars?
Approach
Quantitative and qualitative approaches will be used in this project.
Outcomes
The project aims to serve the national need of increasing the number of highly qualified science teachers who are racially and ethnically diverse. Currently, the lack of certified science teachers is a major cause of low achievement and expectations for high-risk pupils. This problem is intensified in both rural and urban areas where many are either teaching outside of their field of certification or do not have a STEM background. After soliciting and selecting qualified candidates, this project will provide authentic experiences in science classrooms, including a 10-week pre-residency, and at least one science field-based experience in the local community. This project has the potential to provide title one schools with high-quality science teachers and as a result increase student achievement in those schools.
Broader Impacts
This project will add to the body of knowledge that identifies factors that attract science majors to careers as science teachers. Two characteristics of intellectual merit will be its capacity to continue producing high quality science teachers while measuring the effectiveness of past graduates and its effects on them serving beyond the three-year commitment to retain them as career teachers as well as their influence and support of new cohorts of scholars.
