- Year 2018
- NSF Award #1660700
- Registration Former Noyce Scholar
- First Name Caitlin
- Last Name Widener
- Discipline Biology
- Institution University of South Carolina
- School Name and District Currently Teaching Gilbert High School, Lexington School District One
Abstract
Using the research-based experiences from University of South Carolina’s (USC) past Noyce Phase 1 project, this Noyce scholarship program capitalizes on established partnerships with high-need school districts to recruit, prepare, and ensure success during induction years for at least 31 highly qualified high school science and mathematics teachers. Our project also fills a need in helping to prepare new teachers to teach in innovative ways through integrating project-based learning experiences into our scholars’ coursework and other program components. Our program goals are to attract qualified science and mathematics students into high school teaching and retain them through instructional guidance and induction support. Support for our scholars includes a Fall semester course that focuses on teaching in high need schools and implementing project-based learning strategies. During this course, our scholars observe science or mathematics teaching for 12 hours over the semester in high need schools. Our scholars also attend monthly seminars with their assigned mentors (past Noyce scholars) in which they learn instructional strategies and content from high need school teachers or STEM faculty. Our program also partnered with Central Carolina Technical College (CCTC) to provide our scholars with additional instructional experience and 21st Century skills. In our first year of this partnership, scholars learned about blueprinting, computer aided design programs, and 3D printing through hands-on interactive training sessions held during the Spring semester by CCTC engineering faculty. In Summer 2018, scholars also have the opportunity to attend free Project Lead the Way Engineering Certification Training courses on the USC campus. This poster presentation will highlight our scholar’s training and instructional support during the first year of our grant funding.
