- Year 2017
- NSF Noyce Award # 1339963
- First Name Anne
- Last Name Seitsinger
- Discipline Other: Sciences, math and computer science
- Co-PI(s)
David Byrd, URI, dbryd@uri.edu
Bryan Dewsbury, URI, dewsbury@uri.edu
Cornelis deGroot, URI, degrootc@uri.edu
Jay Fogleman, URI, fogleman@uri.edu
Kathy Peno, URI, ktpeno@gmail.com
Joan Peckham, URI, joan@cs.uri.edu - Presenters
Anne Seitsinger, URI, anneseitsinger@uri.edu
Danika Korpacz, URI, dkorpacz@uri.edu
Need
Nationally, the need exists for more highly-qualified teachers with STEM backgrounds to teach children in elementary and secondary schools, particularly in high-need school-districts (National Commission on Mathematics & Science Teaching, 2000; National Science Board, 2008; Samueli, 2010). In Rhode Island, proficiency scores on statewide assessments in mathematics and science are in need of improvement. In mathematics, only 60% of elementary, 58% of middle school, and 35% of high school students scored at or above proficiency on the statewide assessments (Rhode Island Department of Education, 2014). Scores in sciences were even lower (i.e., 41% of 4th graders, 30% of 8th graders, and 30% of 11th graders). Scores for students in high-need, urban districts were significantly lower. In addition, less than 20% of the University of Rhode Island’s (URI) secondary teacher education candidates and only 2% of elementary teacher education candidates major in mathematics or a science.
Goals
URI is the first and only institution of higher education in Rhode Island to be awarded a National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Award. The program seeks to increase the overall number, diversity, and percentage of teacher candidates with strong STEM backgrounds by recruiting undergraduate STEM majors and STEM career changers who might otherwise not have considered a career in K-12 teaching and supporting them through their induction years.
Approach
We are recruiting 20 undergraduate STEM majors and 5 STEM professionals to teach in high-need, urban school districts over nearly 6 years. Initially, scholarships of $10,000 each were awarded to support juniors and seniors. This year scholarships have increased to $20,000. One-year stipends for $40,000 are offered to STEM professionals seeking teacher certification. The program mentors Scholars during their first 3 years of teaching. In return, Scholars agree to teach in a high-need school district for 2 years for each year of support within 8 years of completing of their degrees. In addition, the program is supporting 50 freshman and sophomores with paid 10-week summer internships in informal STEM education areas, providing critical opportunities for them to engage in teaching experiences. Internships are coordinated through URI?s Center for Career and Experiential Education. Internship sites include Providence Boys and Girls Clubs, Roger Williams Park, Rhode Island Museum of Science and Art, Rhode Island Audubon Society, and Save the Bay, as well as other sites in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey. The summer interns participate in a guided reading of Ron Suskind?s (1998) A Hope in the Unseen managed through Sakai, URI?s Learning Management System. A range of recruitment strategies are used including a new website (http://web.uri.edu/noyce/), flyers, posters, presentations, and news releases. We are also developing new computer science courses for preservice teachers to better prepare them to integrated coding in their teaching. We also support our Scholars as beginning teachers with professional development and instructional materials, such a document camera, iPads, and subscriptions to science magazines.
Outcomes
Going into Year 5, we have 20 Scholars (14 undergraduates and six STEM professionals). Seven Scholars were former Noyce summer interns. Seventeen Scholars have graduated from URI?s School of Education; seven Scholars teaching science or mathematics in urban middle schools in Rhode Island and Connecticut. One of our Scholars is teaching students in 4th grade in Denver, CO. Eight Scholars are seeking teaching positions in high-need school districts.
Broader Impacts
We are increasing the diversity of our teacher education candidates. Sixteen URI Noyce Scholars are female; three are racial minorities. We are recruiting more STEM career changers. Six STEM career changers are/have been supported. All Noyce Scholars complete practicum and student teaching in high-need school districts. Our 27 summer interns provide valuable impact for 18 partner agencies and the children and youth they serve in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. One Scholar wrote, ?The Noyce scholarship program is really incredible- it has encouraged me to apply for a job in a school where I would never think to work.’
