- Year 2024
- NSF Noyce Award # 2243413
- First Name Margaret
- Last Name Smith
- Registration Faculty/Administrator/Other
- Discipline STEM Education (general)
- Role Project Personnel
- Presenters
Margaret Smith, Kathleen Kristian, Ellen Small, Christina Andruk, Benjamin Gaines, Joseph Stabile, Christine Hardigree, Iona University
Need
There is no shortage of research indicating a need for STEM teachers. For example, Sparks (2023) explains how science teachers are in short supply, and that this has a significant impact on high-needs schools that need them most. The rationale was that by providing STEM students with classroom teaching experiences, more STEM majors would consider teaching as a career path.
Research Questions
The research question addressed in this study is: How does classroom teaching internships affect the attitudes and beliefs about science teaching of current STEM students? The main goal was to determine if, working alongside experienced STEM teachers positively influenced more students to become STEM teachers.
Approach
STEM interns were recruited, through email and classroom announcements, from a small liberal arts university and a nearby community college. In order to be selected for an internship, STEM students had to be a STEM major, completed STEM major level courses, earned a 2.7 GPA, and be able to enroll in the university’s graduate education program. In order to generate interest in the program, interns were provided a stipend for completing the internship and course requirements. The program received ten applicants; seven were selected and enrolled (including five female STEM majors). Interns were paired with STEM high school teachers in similar fields and worked alongside their cooperating teacher all day for one week. Cooperating teachers allowed their interns to both observe in the classroom and engage in some teaching activities, such as reviewing homework and helping students with lab activities. Interns also participated in classroom discussions led by a mathematics education researcher and wrote reflection papers. These discussions and papers allowed the interns to provide their thoughts about professional activities of teachers (lesson preparation, classroom managements, working with diverse learners, etc.).
Outcomes
Preliminary examination of the data from these experiences indicate that the stem internship positively impacted STEM students’ attitudes toward STEM teaching. •One intern applied for the NOYCE scholarship at the university.•Two of the interns currently eligible, applied to the continue into graduate program for STEM teaching. •Cooperating teachers reported that interns engaged effectively in the classroom. That is, their high school students were positively supported by having interns in the classroom to support their learning. •Course evaluations indicate that interns perceived the course as being useful in understanding the demands of STEM teachers and view the experience as helpful in the decision to become a STEM teacher.
Broader Impacts
The broader impact of this study was to create a pathway for STEM students to become teachers. Recruiting students who are interested in both STEM and teaching are both needed in order to recruit and retain STEM teachers. Additionally, the internship opportunity is at a high-needs university partner school, which provides the potential impact of helping high school students see STEM opportunities. The expectation is that the internship experiences will allow college and high school students to pursue STEM careers, including STEM teaching.
