- Year 2016
- NSF Noyce Award # 1540694
- First Name Djanna
- Last Name Hill
- Discipline Mathematics, Science
- Co-PI(s)
Jyoti Champanerkar, William Paterson University, champanerkarj@wpunj.edu; Theresa Capra, Mercer County Community College, caprat@mccc.edu
- Presenters
Jyoti Champanerkar, William Paterson University, champanerkarj@wpunj.edu
Need
Our project contributes to the literature on STEM teacher recruitment for high needs districts using college partnerships. The STEM teacher literature spotlights classroom experiences (Kelly, Gningue & Qian, 2015; Mensah, 2009), preparation and retention (Atwater, Russell & Butler, 2014; Lum, 2011), recruitment strategies like internships and teaching assistantships and partnerships with other four-year institutions (NSF, 2012), but there is a lack of research on four year institutions partnering with community colleges to recruit STEM teachers. Additionally, there is a lack of research on the recruitment of STEM minority students who transfer from community colleges and become certified teachers.
Goals
In Phase II of the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program at WPU we will accomplish the following goals and objectives:
1. Increase the number of STEM teacher candidates who become certified at WPU from 10% to 20% over the next 5 years
A. Provide 63 scholarships to qualifying WPU students
B. Collaborate with MCCC to recruit 3-5 STEM transfer students who are qualified for the Noyce Scholarship annually
C. Collaborate with WPU College of Science and Health (COSH) to recruit 8-10 qualified candidates who will enter the College of Education (COE) as STEM teacher candidates
D. Provide opportunities for 12-20 STEM majors to be exposed to teaching as a career through summer internships, tutoring, supplemental instructional leadership or study group leader experiencesannually
2. Support Noyce scholars in a cohort model through mentoring and advisement
A. Provide a network of mentors to support each teacher candidate and teacher through their first two years of teaching
B. Create a project identity and social media forumto support the mentor-student relationship and the formulation of a cohort
C. Identify faculty in STEM areas to advise Noyce students through graduation
3. Ensure Noyce scholars are capable of being inspiring teachers in high-needs districts by providing them with inquiry-based coursework and observation in Phase I graduate classrooms
A. Teacher candidates will enroll in a pedagogy course that focuses on cooperative, collaborative, and inquiry-based methods, and contribute to an annual chronicle of STEM lesson plans
B. Teacher candidates will conduct classroom observations of Phase I graduates in high needs districts prior to graduation
Approach
The assessment and evaluation plan is organized into three major sections: recruitment, support and success, and impact. The evaluation team documents the activities of the participants, informs the Advisory board of progress with respect to major milestones for the project, and implements the formative and summative evaluation. There are separate database files for scholarship recipients, mentors, and faculty (advisors). Specific data to be collected will include demographics, number of scholarship awardees, progress toward degree, and site and level of pre-service and in-service teaching.
A major element in the recruitment evaluation will determine the extent to which we have recruited qualified candidates from the existing pool of STEM majors at WPU, new STEM majors, and transfer STEM education students from MCCC. We also keep track of Phase I students and/or teachers. Formative evaluation will be accomplished through the use of survey instruments and focus groups to provide ongoing feedback to the Project Council. A key function of the summative evaluation in the area of recruiting will be the documentation of the extent to which STEM majors, especially women and minorities, choose to enter the teaching profession.
Formative evaluation uses the techniques of questionnaires, visual confirmation, and meeting minutes. Summative evaluation includes course enrollment and attendance records.
Outcomes
We expect to see significant, measurable results in addressing each of our project goals. The 63 scholarships will provide a minimum of 30 STEM certified teachers for high-needs districts. The 12 supplemental instruction leaders and 8 summer internships will provide 12-20 unduplicated opportunities to consider teaching as a career.
We anticipate each mentor to have 1-3 students, with some mentors staying with students through their first two years of teaching. Some mentors and mentees will communicate via the established social media forum. We anticipate that all scholars will enroll in an inquiry-based content pedagogy course and that we will receive 5-10 lesson plans annually.
We anticipate that three recruitment pools will increase over the next five years with continued funding: the number of STEM majors graduating with teacher certification, number of minority STEM majors graduating with teacher certification, and the number of transfer STEM majors graduating with teacher certification.
Broader Impacts
There is no more important approach to improving science and mathematics education than to produce more highly qualified science and mathematics teachers. This proposed model program will be effective in recruiting and retaining new high-performing teachers who not only thrive in high needs partner districts but who support and sustain others to do the same.
