- Year 2024
- NSF Noyce Award # 2151023
- First Name Tuyin
- Last Name An
- Registration Faculty/Administrator/Other
- Discipline STEM Education (general)
- Role Co-PI
- Presenters
Gregory Chamblee, Gwendolyn Carroll, Tuyin An, and Hui Jin, Georgia Southern University
Need
Georgia continues to need more certified secondary mathematics and science teachers. While there is an obvious need to increase the number of STEM teachers, it is equally important to ensure quality teacher preparation. Teachers entering the field must know how to integrate multiple instructional models and resources in their classrooms to address learning gaps. This is especially true in high-need schools. The Georgia Southern (GS) Noyce Scholarship Program provides opportunities for prospective teachers to develop these skills through a collaborative course of study. Scholars complete a dual degree–a College of Science and Mathematics and College of Education major—over five years, with Year 5 focused primarily on completing a year-long placement in a high-need secondary school.
Research Questions
How can we support and mentor scholars in our Noyce program? How can we increase the Noyce Scholar enrollment and teacher certification for high-need school districts?
Approach
While taking upper-division content and education courses to advance their subject and pedagogy knowledge, the scholars participate in a colloquium consisting of six 90-minute meetings each semester to build their problem-based learning instructional strategies. Scholars also attended their state disciplinary conferences (i.e., Georgia Mathematics Conference and Georgia Science Teachers Association Conference), where they co-present with program mentors, and national and regional Noyce conferences, where they present as leading authors. In the summer, scholars spent one week with state biologists and researchers focusing on leveraging local resources to promote problem-based learning. Despite our tremendous efforts in recruiting Noyce Scholars, the number of scholars enrolling in the program is low. This is likely due to: 1) Hiring competition for target students and local teachers from multiple new area businesses, 2) State scholarships that cover full tuition for potential scholars, 3) Post-pandemic teacher attrition and a sustained malaise in the field, 4) Loss of degree programs at the institutional level that reduced the pool of candidates, and 5) declining enrollment of mathematics and science teachers. To optimize the recruiting process, the program leadership team redesigned the dissemination of the scholarship funds, diversified the candidate source and program terminal degrees (e.g., included Masters of Arts in Teaching candidates), expanded recruiting partnerships, and collected feedback on scholar candidate decision-making.
Outcomes
The curriculum and experiences have made a substantial positive impact on scholars’ education while allowing them to develop problem-based learning strategies to create a successful learning environment in their future classrooms. For example, the math scholar gained rich experience in academic communications through presenting at the Georgia Mathematics Conference and national/regional Noyce conferences. He successfully applied his knowledge of problem-based learning, gained from the first-year colloquium, to the University of GA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant Coastal Experience. Attending the Georgia Science Teacher Association (GSTA) conference gave the science scholar valuable insights into scientific reasoning. She observed how other teachers engaged in activities led by the presenter and how these activities fostered discussions that contrasted scientific reasoning with students’ intuitive thought processes. Based on the new recruitment options, we hope to entice many more scholars to join the third-year program to share in the benefits of returning scholars.
Broader Impacts
The program tackles the STEM teacher shortage in the Savannah Metropolitan area’s urban and rural high-need school districts. The scholars have learned pedagogical theories (e.g., problem-based learning and culturally responsive teaching), applied them to their teaching experience, and engaged in various field and career experiences. By focusing on recruitment with retention in mind, this program targets the growth of scholars and fosters a sense of community.
