- Year 2017
- NSF Noyce Award # 1439914
- First Name Ann
- Last Name Cavallo
- Discipline Other: Secondary Science & Mathematics
- Co-PI(s)
Greg Hale, The University of Texas at Arlington, greg@hale.uta.edu
James Alvarez, The University of Texas at Arlington, james.alvarez@uta.edu
Ramon Lopez, The University of Texas at Arlington, relopez@uta.edu - Presenters
Ann Cavallo, The University of Texas at Arlington, cavallo@uta.edu
Greg Hale, The University of Texas at Arlington, greg@hale.uta.edu
James Alvarez, The University of Texas at Arlington, james.alvarez@uta.edu
Ramon Lopez, The University of Texas at Arlington, relopez@uta.edu
Jaqueline Solis, The University of Texas at Arlington, jacqueline.solis@mavs.uta.edu
Need
It is well established that the US is experiencing a declining teacher workforce in all disciplines, with the steepest declines being among science and mathematics teachers. The declines are not only related to recruiting new teachers into the field, but in retaining teachers for the future. One contributor to difficulties in teacher recruitment, and teacher attrition is the challenging and often difficult classroom environment; with increasingly more difficult situations faced by teachers every year. Teachers deal with issues of language learning barriers, race, crime, and issues of poverty, while diligently working to help students learn math or science concepts. There is significant evidence that students in poverty have learning needs and difficulties that differ from those who do not experience such pressures. How do we prepare teachers to teach this diverse pool of students? This and related questions will be addressed in the poster.
Goals
The program objectives are to: 1) recruit physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics teacher candidates from baccalaureate programs, community colleges, and career changers from local industry, 2) provide a quality two-track teacher certification program for our candidates, and 3) induct, monitor, and mentor our teacher candidates through the program and their early years of teaching. Key activities of this program are:
– Recruit candidates from UT Arlington and area community college science and mathematics programs and from the Dallas-Arlington-Fort Worth metropolitan area science and math related businesses and industry.
– Implement a program for our teacher candidates through our collaborative College of Science and College of Education UTeach program that prepares them to teach in diverse, high need schools.
– Provide scholars with access to academic and professional resources and mentors that help them through induction, and support their retention in teaching.
Approach
Noyce Scholars are science or mathematics majors who are also enrolled in secondary teacher education. The education courses implement research-based practices and content specific to teaching math and science in diverse, high need schools. The courses focus on pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and include, for example, project/problem-based instruction, research methods, teaching diverse populations, knowing and learning in science and math, and classroom interactions. Nearly all courses include significant, early field experiences, followed by a full semester of student teaching. The candidates are mentored in courses and in all field experiences through their first years of full time teaching by school-based Mentor Teachers, our Noyce Scholar Leader (experienced teacher), faculty Content and Pedagogy Mentors, and the PI/Co-PI team. Scholars engage in four professional development experiences each semester (Scholar Learning Seminars) that include teaching in high need schools.
Outcomes
Data gathered through the research and evaluation component of this program indicates some important findings. These findings will be further described in the final poster:
-Noyce Scholars gain confidence in their ability to teach science and math in high need schools throughout the program.
-Noyce Scholars gain understanding of research-based practices in teaching science and math, and implement these practices in their teaching.
-Noyce Scholars are well-prepared to teach in high need schools through their course work and field experiences.
-Noyce Scholars gain important professional development experiences that help them achieve success in teaching.
-Noyce Scholars remain in high need schools and in teaching beyond the required period required by the grant.
Broader Impacts
The broader impacts of this Noyce program include the cadre of new teachers prepared to teach and/or teaching in high need schools, and the thousands of students who will be positively impacted because they are taught by our highly qualified teachers. The outcomes of the Noyce programs have been presented at professional conferences, both nationally and internationally and published in refereed journals.
