- Year 2018
- NSF Noyce Award # 1660597
- First Name Meltem
- Last Name Alemdar
- Discipline Other: Education Research
- Co-PI(s)
Christopher Cappelli, Georgia Institute of Technology, chris.cappelli@ceismc.gatech.edu
Jessica Gale, Georgia Institute of Technology, jessica.gale@ceismc.gatech.edu - Presenters
Meltem Alemdar, Georgia Institute of Technology, meltem.alemdar@ceismc.gatech.edu
Jessica Gale, Georgia Institute of Technology, jessica.gale@ceismc.gatech.edu
Christopher Cappelli, Georgia Institute of Technology, chris.cappelli@ceismc.gatech.edu
Need
This poster will focus on presenting the preliminary results of a funded Noyce research grant.This exploratory study, supported by the National Science Foundations’ Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program Noyce Research focuses on examining factors influencing the retention of early career teachers in high-needs schools. Drawing on a sample of Noyce Teacher Fellows, the study investigates the role of teachers’ personal networks and self-efficacy on teacher retention in high-needs school settings. Specifically, this study focuses on early career Noyce Teachers by exploring: (1) whether and how Noyce teachers? personal networks and self-efficacy impact teacher retention in high-needs schools; (2) whether and how individual Noyce project characteristics impact teachers’ personal networks, self-efficacy, and retention.
Goals
By identifying factors that influence Noyce teachers’ retention in high-needs schools, the study aims to enable Noyce programs to anticipate and address these factors in the future. The network survey consists of items regarding the characteristics of others in teacher network (alters) and relational characteristics of the tie between the respondent and others in their network, and the strength of collaboration between the respondent and various members of their network.
Approach
Using Social Network analysis framework, in this poster, we will present the preliminary results of survey data by examining the number of ties, the frequency of ties, the value of ties, and the role of the person the focal teacher has a relationship with to see whether variations in these aspects explain teacher retention and effectiveness. In this study, our goal is to examine the personal networks of Noyce teachers, and see whether variations in their networks (e.g., number of connections, frequency of connections, etc.) predict teacher self-efficacy or teacher retention.
Outcomes
This poster will provide an introduction to social network analysis and describe how it can be used at the program level to assess Noyce teachers’ collaboration inside and outside of their classrooms, schools, and districts. Specifically, the study will demonstrate the use of an ego-network analysis to examine Noyce teachers’ personal support networks and explore how teachers? social capital may influence retention in high needs schools.
Broader Impacts
This research contributes to education literature on how teacher personal networks, support structures, and self-efficacy relate to teacher retention. In addition to developing a new instrument to explore teacher networks and updating a national Noyce Teacher Fellow database, this research will illustrate innovative methodology (social network analysis) to explore the relationships among early career Noyce teacher networks, self-efficacy, and retention.
