- Year 2016
- NSF Noyce Award # 1540713
- First Name Alison
- Last Name Wallace
- Discipline Mathematics, Science
- Co-PI(s)
Tim Harms, Minnesota State University, Moorheadharms@mnstate.edu; Linda Houts-Smith, Minnesota State University Moorhead, houtsli@mnstate.edu; Steve Lindaas, Minnesota State University Moorhead, lindaas@mnstate.edu
- Presenters
Tim Harms, Minnesota State University, Moorhead
, harms@mnstate.edu
Need
The impact of this project is the application of a system of people, programs, and institutions, developed through a Capacity Building grant, to increase STEM teacher capacity by producing flexible and effective STEM teachers prepared to teach diverse students in urban and rural high needs school districts. The production of 35 STEM teachers over five years will greatly improve school systems’ capacities to service economically and ethnically diverse students in the region.
Goals
The primary outcome of this Track I, Phase I scholarship grant made possible by the collaboration between a) Minnesota State University Moorhead; b) partnering urban school districts (Moorhead, Fargo, West Fargo), rural school districts (Lakes Country Regional Cooperative); and c) two-year institution project affiliates (M State and White Earth Tribal Community College), is to facilitate licensure for 35 new STEM teachers over five years in outstate Minnesota. High need districts in small urban and rural communities are seeking STEM teachers with specific training and experiences to be adequately prepared to help their growing numbers of economically and ethnically diverse students.
Approach
A team of nine content and education faculty will work with area high needs school districts to implement the scholarship program. Our university will provide administrative assistance to support the interactions between the Scholars and the Business and Financial Aid Offices, and will provide course release for the program managers of the Recruiting, Scholar, and Mentoring Programs. Our college will provide a Learning Assistant Director and an Outreach Coordinator to identify opportunities for recruiting potential Scholars to interact with K-12 and undergraduate students in a mentored setting. Program evaluators will interact with participants through interviews and focus groups to a) gauge the effectiveness of project objectives and ensure they have been reached in a timely fashion, and b) to evaluate the extent to which the recruiting, mentoring, administration, and evaluation programs demonstrate the desired level of effectiveness and compliance with the grant requirements. The Mentoring Program will be the focus of the grant’s research efforts, with modified Minnesota Teacher Research Network’s protocols and instruments to be used to study the practices and beliefs of beginning math and science teachers.
Outcomes
1. Increase the number of new STEM teachers prepared to work with ethnically and economically diverse students in high needs schools.
2. Augment new STEM teachers’ potential for sustained, successful classroom teaching in high needs schools through innovative coursework, targeted field experiences, and mentorship support.
3. Produce new STEM teachers equipped to provide effective instruction in high needs schools.
Broader Impacts
The impact of this project is the application of a system of people, programs, and institutions, developed through a Capacity Building grant, to increase STEM teacher capacity by producing flexible and effective STEM teachers prepared to teach diverse students in urban and rural high needs school districts. The production of 35 STEM teachers over five years will greatly improve school systems’ capacities to service economically and ethnically diverse students in the region
