- Year 2022
- NSF Noyce Award # 1950218
- First Name Regina
- Last Name Toolin
- Discipline Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Geosciences, Mathematics
- Co-PI(s)
Rory Waterman, Carmen Smith, Lisa Dion
- Presenters
Jordan Couzo, University of Vermont
Need
UVM’s Robert Noyce Scholarship Program seeks to address these critical issues and deficiencies in STEM achievement and education through the development of a Track 1 proposal that will award 30 stipends i to in-state MAT students and out-of-state MAT students over a 5-year period to qualified STEM and Computer Science majors and professionals enrolled in the Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education Program at UVM.
Goals
Program will develop a longitudinal research program that studies the program’s impact on Noyce Scholars and their students and the impact that the program has on STEM and education faculty and programs at UVM. The Noyce Program is designed to recruit, prepare, and retain secondary STEM teachers with strong content and pedagogical expertise in science, mathematics and computer science. The program will be delivered through a collaborative partnership between highly effective and nationally recognized STEM and education programs in the College of Education and Social Services, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences and regional high-need school districts that include the following partner schools: Missisquoi Valley, Montpelier, Mount Abraham, Union-32, Vergennes and Middle and High Schools in Vermont.
Approach
Scholar persistence will be tracked during and post grant period for as long as required to document meeting requirements for teaching/service commitments or in accordance with the CAEP Standard A.4, whichever is longer. CAEP Standard: A. 4 states “There are processes in place to collect and update contact information for alumni for 3-years post-exit.” While there is much research on the attrition rate of novice teachers, both the definition of novice and the reported attrition rates vary widely. Five years is consistent with the most extensive study on teacher attrition, the Beginning Teacher Longitudinal Study, which will be used for comparison purposes. This study (Gray & Taie, 2015) found that 17% of teachers left the field by the fifth year of teaching. Plans for tracking each cohort longitudinally are as follows:1.When Scholars are offered Noyce stipends and informed of the conditions of acceptance, including providing annual certifications of employment and up-to-date contact information after they complete the MAT program, they will receive an overview of the evaluation plan and their responsibilities for participation. Acceptance will be documented in a signed agreement.2.Annually, beginning late in their first year of teaching and continuing through the tracking period, Scholars will be asked to confirm contact information, update employment information for the current and following year, and complete a survey about their classroom teaching.
Outcomes
Six well qualified and committed Scholars were recruited including 5 science and ! mathematics Scholars. These scholars came to the program with strong content knowledge. All completed the MAT program and requirements for licensure with 5 teaching or having secured teaching positions in high need schools.The Program created a sense of community by engaging with each other in supportive ways. The Program was highly valued by the Scholars who attribute their own professional growth tothe experiences they had. Particularly important was a full year internship that built skills andconfidence and deepened learning. Noyce Scholars were skilled in developing and implementing inquiry-based projects in their internships. This provides a visible example of best practice in the preparation of science and mathematics educators. The Program utilized a supportive and talented group of mentors during the Scholars field placement. In turn, the Scholars’ presence in the schools had a positive impact on an inquiry- based environment.The Program effectively navigated the COVID-19 pandemic so that all Scholars were able to complete the degree program and the requirements needed for teacher licensure successfully. The move to online instruction (both at the UVM and in Vermont’s K-12 schools), the varyingdegree to which some of the Scholars were able to engage in their internships following thistransition, and VT AOE’s response to requirement
Broader Impacts
The documentation of scholar outcomes with portfolio supported measures should be considered as an alternative to standard What Works Clearinghouse evaluation designs. Collaborative research on attitude and perception change should be supported across Noyce projects. Research on the vertical integration of coursework and internships should focus on the viability of inquiry teaching.
