- Year 2017
- NSF Noyce Award # 1540694
- First Name Djanna
- Last Name Hill
- Discipline Biology
- Co-PI(s)
Jyoti Champanerkar, William Paterson University, Champanerkarp@wpunj.edu
Theresa Capra, Mercer County Community College, caprat@mccc.edu
- Presenters
Djanna Hill
, William Paterson University
, hilld@wpunj.eduJyoti Champanerkar
William Paterson University
Champanerkarp@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
1. Increase the number of STEM teacher candidates who become certified at WPU from 10% to 20% over the next 5 years
2. Support Noyce scholars in a cohort model through mentoring and advisement
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
Approach
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 experiences annually
E. Identify faculty in STEM areas to advise Noyce students through graduation
F. Teacher candidates will enroll in a pedagogy course that focuses on cooperative, collaborative, and inquiry-based methods
Outcomes
A. Networked with Noyce project faculty at other institutions to gain ideas and best practices
B. Collaborated on research with Noyce project faculty at other institutions
C. Served on an NSF review panel for future Noyce awards
D. Scheduled to present on panel for STEM teacher recruitment
Broader Impacts
This project is the bridge to the next phase of our design to recruit and retain STEM teachers in high needs districts. Our next phase will study transfer students in teacher preparation programs at varying institutions. It will be based on a research design that incorporates appropriate theory, methodologies and strategies that contribute to the knowledge base of scholarly research in STEM education. Will present data at AAAS-NSF regional conference in summer 2017.
