CSU Noyce Phase II: Empowering Scholars and STEM Teachers

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There is an established need for well-qualified teachers in high-need school districts, which are often located in rural or urban communities, and those with significant populations of English language learners. Over the five-year duration of the project, the Colorado State University (CSU) Noyce Phase 2 Scholarship Program will prepare 24 new secondary science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) teachers educated in social justice. Each Noyce Scholarship recipient will be working toward or will have earned a bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline, and will be enrolled in the CSU secondary teacher education program. Four CSU STEM colleges will work in partnership with local school districts, CSU Extension, and the 21 Colorado Boards of Cooperative Educational Services. The project will address three research questions to better understand the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs: (1) What is the longitudinal impact on recipients' teaching self-efficacy, perceptions of STEM and STEM teaching, teaching ability, and self-efficacy as a teacher mentor? (2) What impacts do the Phase 1 and Phase 2 models have on secondary student perceptions of STEM and their STEM learning as well as recipients' perceptions of their students' learning? (3) What impacts does the Phase 2 model have on teacher mentor perceptions of STEM and STEM teaching, mentoring self-efficacy, and teaching ability?The project will work toward three overarching objectives. (1) Recruitment: The project will recruit first and second year STEM undergraduates to work at an existing summer STEM camp for under-served students and provide them with mentorship from experienced in-service STEM classroom teachers. Undergraduates enrolled in a first year mathematics seminar led by a mathematics education expert will be engaged in outreach programs for under-served students and will be encouraged to apply for a Noyce Scholarship.(2) Support: Scholarships of $10,000 will be awarded to outstanding juniors and seniors committed to teaching in high need schools. The project will leverage a strong statewide partnership with high-need schools through the CSU Alliance School Program to place successful graduates where they are needed most. (3) Community building: The project will foster a cohesive community of practitioners among the Noyce Scholars, a Cadre of Mentor STEM teachers, and teacher educators at CSU. Support for Noyce graduates and mentor teachers will include induction mentoring and professional development on inquiry-based and design-based STEM instruction and social justice in STEM. Through these objectives and the research agenda, the project will develop, improve, and maintain a pipeline to recruit and prepare STEM teachers for underserved schools.