Science and Math Innovative Learning Environments (SMILE) for Encore Careers in Education

科学和数学创新学习环境 (SMILE) 促进教育领域的职业生涯

• 批准号: 1136435
• 负责人: Jennifer Gresko
• 金额: $ 119.9万
• 依托单位: Maricopa County Community College District
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-09-01 至 2017-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1136435&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Science; Math; Innovative; Learning; Environments

Rio Salado, an online community college, and member of the Maricopa County Community College District, in partnership with the Tempe Union High School District and the Glendale Union High School District, is establishing the Science and Math Innovative Learning Environments (SMILE) Program for Encore Careers in Education to support the recruitment, development, and support of professionals holding baccalaureate degrees in mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics or engineering in becoming secondary teachers. Noyce funds are used to provide stipends to forty STEM professionals as they transition into teaching careers in grades 7-12 mathematics and/or science classrooms in high-needs school districts in Arizona. Through the proposed hybrid format of the SMILE program, which incorporates online courses with onsite practicum and student teaching, the number and quality of mathematics and science teachers available to high-needs school districts in Arizona is being increased. The SMILE program is based on Rio Salado College's Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation Program, a one-year program designed to develop and certify new teachers who have a four-year degree in a non-education field. Online courses incorporate Arizona's teacher certification requirements in curriculum that offers the knowledge and essential skills participants need to become highly effective teachers. Onsite practicum and student teaching experiences provide opportunities to observe master teachers in the classroom and practice teaching in a monitored and mentored environment. This combination of approaches provides STEM professionals flexibility in completing courses and allows the program to recruit SMILE Scholars statewide. Under the SMILE program, courses in methods and curriculum development are enhanced to incorporate mathematics and science content based on state standards. Master Teacher Seminars, designed specifically for the SMILE program, provide insight into methods, content, and resources useful in mathematics and science classrooms. SMILE Scholars receive additional development and support throughout the preparation program and while completing the required teaching commitment. SMILE Scholars are supported through professional development opportunities which integrate teaching materials, online resources, and training programs developed by three local NSF-funded centers that provide resources for STEM education. The program also incorporates post-graduation mentoring to improve the quality and retention of SMILE Scholars in the classroom. Integrated course enhancements, archived Master Teacher Seminars, and professional development opportunities created through the SMILE program become part of Rio Salado College's teacher preparation program and therefore are useful to future candidates. The SMILE program offers its Scholars opportunities to receive training and experience with online teaching, thus building capacity within the teacher education program and within the workforce to meet the recent call for online high schools in each Arizona school district. In particular, the SMILE program's emphasis on mathematics and science teachers promotes the development of specific content and practicum experiences in this online teaching track to address the challenges of teaching STEM content online. In addition to recruiting, developing, and supporting forty STEM professionals to become highly qualified mathematics and science teachers, the SMILE Scholars program provides an opportunity to identify factors that affect recruitment of STEM professionals into the teaching profession; identify program activities that are particularly helpful in producing competent, confident teachers; and identify conditions that promote retention of effective mathematics and science teachers in teaching careers. The SMILE dissemination plan specifically targets community colleges and alternative certification programs that have traditionally been underutilized in preparing mathematics and science teachers.

Rio Salado 是一所在线社区学院，也是马里科帕县社区学院区的成员，与坦佩联盟高中学区和格伦代尔联盟高中学区合作，正在为 Encore 教育职业建立科学和数学创新学习环境 (SMILE) 计划，以支持招聘、培养和支持拥有数学、生物、化学、物理或工程学学士学位的专业人士进入中学 老师们。 诺伊斯基金用于为 40 名 STEM 专业人士提供津贴，帮助他们过渡到亚利桑那州高需求学区 7 至 12 年级数学和/或科学教室的教学生涯。 通过拟议的 SMILE 计划混合形式（将在线课程与现场实习和学生教学相结合），亚利桑那州高需求学区的数学和科学教师的数量和质量正在增加。 SMILE 计划以里约萨拉多学院的学士后教师准备计划为基础，该计划为期一年，旨在培养和认证在非教育领域拥有四年制学位的新教师。在线课程将亚利桑那州的教师认证要求纳入课程中，为参与者提供成为高效教师所需的知识和基本技能。 现场实习和学生教学经验提供了在课堂上观察名师并在受监控和指导的环境中实践教学的机会。这种方法的组合为 STEM 专业人士提供了完成课程的灵活性，并允许该计划在全州范围内招募 SMILE 学者。在 SMILE 计划下，方法和课程开发课程得到加强，以纳入基于州标准的数学和科学内容。大师级教师研讨会专为 SMILE 项目设计，提供对数学和科学课堂有用的方法、内容和资源的深入了解。 SMILE 学者在整个准备计划和完成所需的教学承诺的同时获得额外的发展和支持。 SMILE 学者获得专业发展机会的支持，这些机会整合了由 NSF 资助的三个当地中心开发的教材、在线资源和培训计划，这些中心为 STEM 教育提供资源。该计划还纳入了毕业后辅导，以提高微笑学者在课堂上的质量和保留率。综合课程增强、大师级教师研讨会存档以及通过 SMILE 计划创造的专业发展机会成为里约萨拉多学院教师培训计划的一部分，因此对未来的候选人非常有用。 SMILE 计划为其学者提供接受在线教学培训和经验的机会，从而建设教师教育计划和劳动力队伍的能力，以满足最近亚利桑那州每个学区对在线高中的需求。特别是，SMILE 计划对数学和科学教师的重视促进了在线教学轨道中具体内容和实践经验的开发，以应对在线教授 STEM 内容的挑战。除了招募、培养和支持 40 名 STEM 专业人士成为高素质的数学和科学教师外，SMILE Scholars 计划还提供了一个机会来确定影响 STEM 专业人士进入教学行业的因素；确定对培养有能力、自信的教师特别有帮助的计划活动；并确定促进有效数学和科学教师在教学生涯中保留的条件。 SMILE 传播计划专门针对社区大学和替代认证项目，这些项目传统上在培养数学和科学教师方面没有得到充分利用。