- Year 2018
- NSF Noyce Award # 1439839
- First Name Christina
- Last Name McCartha
- Discipline Other: CHE/BIO/MAT
- Co-PI(s)
Charles Horn, Newberry College, Charles.horn@newberry.edu
Renee Stubbs, Newberry College, renee.stubbs@newberry.edu
Sara Peters, Newberry College, sara.peters@newberry.edu
Naomi Simmons, Newberry College, Naomi.simmons@newberry.edu
Co-PIs; Newberry College - Presenters
Christina McCartha, Newberry College, christina.mccartha@newberry.edu
Need
This Phase II Noyce project will continue much of the work initiated in Newberry College’s Phase I Noyce award. This Recruit and Engage Mathematics AND Science Teachers (REMAST) Phase II project will produce additional STEM teachers, have professional development (PD) for all parties in the project, and conduct a longitudinal study of factors that contribute to Noyce Scholar recipients’ pre- and in-service effectiveness and their persistence and leadership in the teaching profession.
This research study will examine factors at both the program level and the Noyce Scholar level. The project is explicit in its intent to benefit others through the sharing of research derivatives, including protocols, instruments, and professional development materials appropriate for use by practicing school professionals and teacher educators, as well as through scholarly publication of results and findings.
Goals
Based on the findings from the REMAST Phase I program, the REMAST Phase II program will 1) recruit 9 to 16 additional STEM majors into teaching 2) provide educational support for Scholars 3) provide professional development opportunities for Mentors, scholar graduates (Teaching Fellows), and grant personnel and 4) pursue a rigorous and innovative research agenda related to teacher retention, or persistence of math and science teachers in the teaching profession.
The key activities taking place are as follows: 1) Currently during spring 2018, we had 7 REMAST scholars. One graduated, 6 will be supported during 2018-2019. The graduate has found employment in a high needs district for 2018-2019. One scholar will student teach in the fall and two scholars will student teach in the spring. 2) scholar support occurs through monthly Professional Development activities, mentor/advising support, a STEM education course on content literacy held during Mayterm with field experience hours. 3) monthly Professional Development meetings and conference travel (NSTA, SSCTM, ASB, Upstate SC Technology, and Southeast Regional Noyce). 4) data collection was completed for year 4 of the grant for RE-MAST I teachers and REMAST II teachers in year 2 of teaching.
Approach
The REMAST program has formed a Professional Learning Community of scholars, teaching fellows, mentor teachers, and grant personnel. Specific activities of the REMAST Phase II project include 1) recruiting twelve to date additional STEM majors into teaching; 2) delivering educational supports for Noyce Scholars; 3) providing professional development opportunities for Mentors, Noyce Teaching Fellows (former Noyce Scholars), and grant personnel; and 4) pursuing a rigorous research agenda related to teacher retention, or persistence of mathematics and science teachers in the teaching profession.
Outcomes
Goals: 1) To date 12 scholars have been recruited with 5 graduates teaching in high need school districts. 2) Educational support provided scholars during year 4 have included advising/mentoring, 3 PD events, conference attendance, opportunities to work in outreach in informal education settings – SC Science Olympiad, assistant with labs, Homeschool chemistry days, and Mayterm education course with secondary STEM emphasis. 3) Monthly PD meetings. 4) REMAST collected data from in-service STEM teachers (Teaching fellows) for analysis this summer. In addition over the summer, representatives from the project will attend the Southeast Regional Noyce conference, the Upstate Technology Conference and REMAST PD, and the National Noyce Summit.
Broader Impacts
Broader impacts of the program will be achieved in two ways. In addition to the project publication and presentation schedule, research derivatives will include protocols, instruments, and/or professional development materials appropriate for use by practicing school professionals and teacher educators. Research products will be useable and widely available through the REMAST website. In-house, on-line publication of research results and products on the REMAST website will ensure that findings are appropriately available to other researchers, but also project participants, partners, and the target audience of public school educators and teacher educators. Second, broader impacts will be achieved through REMAST’s focus on an inquiry model of science and mathematics teaching and learning.
