Developing and Supporting Excellence in STEM Teaching: A Regional Collaboration to Increase Teacher Diversity, Preparation, and Continuity

通过这个Noyce Track 1项目，东华盛顿大学（EWU）正在通过设计一个项目来应对华盛顿州持续存在的STEM教师短缺问题，该项目将增加STEM教师的数量、多样性和准备。本项目将在大学前两年积极招募优秀的STEM专业学生，参与5-12年级教学相关的早期体验。然后，将从这些感兴趣且符合条件的STEM专业学生中招募学生，以EWU Noyce学者的身份在大三和大四获得奖学金支持，这些学生将获得STEM学科的学士学位和教育学学士学位。最终，至少33名STEM专业的学生将通过该项目获得教学资格。在此过程中，该项目将增加来自各种STEM学科和代表性不足人群的教师数量。除了在大一和大二的早期参与潜在的职前候选人之外，这个项目的另一个将产生持久影响的标志性特征是它将增加K-12，社区学院和EWU之间的合作。一个关键的项目设计元素在数学、科学和教师教育教师之间建立了强有力的合作，这将对EWU的教师培训计划产生积极影响，并最终在更大的教师教育社区中增加知识。对该项目和该地区的其他影响来自于对教师前两年教学的持续支持。入职活动将允许合作伙伴之间的持续联系，加强教师准备，教师教育知识，社区大学潜在STEM教师的管道，以及K-12教师的发展。STEM专业的大一和大二学生将从EWU和EWU的主要社区学院，斯波坎瀑布社区学院和斯波坎社区学院招募，参加早期体验，其中包括：在斯波坎公立学校（SPS）的早期实习，合作伙伴高需求学区，以及数学，工程和科学成就（MESA）计划；在东吴举办的5-12场数学科学活动中担任志愿者；和大三、大四的Noyce学者一起参加诸如探究圈和参加本科生研究研讨会等活动。这个为期五年的项目将：增加从EWU毕业并获得STEM学科学位并获得教学资格的教师人数；增加物理学、地球科学、化学和数学领域的诺伊斯学者人数；培养诺伊斯学者理解并有效应用强调数学实践标准（SMP）和科学与工程实践（SEP）的教学法，以改善学生在课堂上的学习；提高中学STEM教师有效教授高需求学生的能力和意愿，包括来自低社会经济环境的学生、来自STEM中代表性不足的人群、来自农村或偏远学校的学生以及英语学习者。EWU战略项目活动旨在培养有效教授高需求学生数学和科学所需的技能和性格，包括：由专门从事民族研究和英语作为第二语言（ESL）的教师设计的在线学习模块和实地工作；参加三次为期六周的轮岗，由杰出的STEM教师为高需求学生授课；设计和实施探究圈（中学生STEM课后活动），以练习为高需求学生设计、实施和反思活动；参与毕业生在视频俱乐部的头两年教学，探索实施有效的研究性学习的挑战；以及在本学科教学的重要方面进行研究，并在东吴学生研究与创意作品研讨会上展示他们的研究成果。在获得认证并获得教学职位后，学者们将通过每年参加三次视频俱乐部并与EWU教师定期联系，继续积极参与EWU Noyce计划。该项目将受益于Noyce顾问委员会和Noyce合作者的合作和支持。这些小组将监督和建议项目负责人，确保项目融入EWU的文化，监督招聘和学者的进展，并为解决出现的问题提供建议。最终，EWU以研究为基础的项目设计提供了学习过程中的活动，使学者能够发展成为有影响力和反思的STEM教师。

Through this Noyce Track 1 project, Eastern Washington University (EWU) is responding to the persistent STEM teacher shortage in the State of Washington by designing a project that will increase the number, diversity, and preparation of STEM teachers. This project will aggressively recruit strong STEM majors during their first two years of college to participate in early experiences related to teaching in grades 5-12. Students then will be recruited from this pool of interested and qualified STEM majors to receive scholarship support in the junior and senior year as EWU Noyce Scholars who will earn both a baccalaureate degree in a STEM discipline and a Bachelor's of Arts in Education. Ultimately, at least 33 STEM majors will become certified to teach through this project. In doing so, the project will increase the number of teachers from a variety of STEM disciplines and from under-represented populations. In addition to the early engagement of potential pre-service candidates in the freshman and sophomore years, another signature feature of this project that will have lasting effects is that it will increase collaboration across K-12, community colleges, and EWU. A key project design element develops strong collaboration among faculty in mathematics, science, and teacher education, which will positively affect the teacher preparation program at EWU, and ultimately increase knowledge in the larger teacher education community. Other impacts on the program and the region arise from continued support for teacher development through their first two years of teaching. The induction activities will allow for continued connections among partners, strengthening teacher preparation, teacher educator knowledge, the pipeline of potential STEM teachers from community colleges, and K-12 teacher development. The freshman and sophomore STEM majors will be recruited from EWU and EWU's primary feeder community colleges, Spokane Falls Community College and Spokane Community College, to participate in early experiences, which include: an early practicum in Spokane Public Schools (SPS), the partner high-need school district, and the Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement (MESA) program; serving as volunteers for 5-12 mathematics and science events held at EWU; and joining junior and senior Noyce Scholars in activities such as Inquiry Circles and attending Undergraduate Research Symposia. This five-year project will: increase the number of teachers who graduate from EWU with a degree in a STEM discipline and are certified to teach; increase the number of Noyce Scholars from physics, geoscience, chemistry, and mathematics; prepare Noyce Scholars to understand and effectively apply pedagogy emphasizing Standards for Mathematical Practices (SMP) and Science and Engineering Practices (SEP) to improve student learning in their classrooms; and increase the capacity and dispositions of secondary STEM teachers to effectively teach high-need students, including students from low socio-economic circumstances, from under-represented populations in STEM, from rural or remote schools, and English language learners. Strategic EWU project activities designed to develop skills and dispositions necessary to effectively teach high-need students mathematics and science include: online learning modules and field work designed by faculty specializing in Ethnic Studies and English as a Second Language (ESL); participation in three six-week rotations in classrooms of exceptional STEM teachers with high-need students; design and implementation of Inquiry Circles (after-school middle and high school students STEM events) in order to practice designing, implementing, and reflecting on activities for high-need students; participation with graduates in their first two years of teaching in a Video Club to explore the challenges of implementing effective inquiry learning; and research on an important aspect of teaching in their discipline and presentation of their studies at the EWU Student Research and Creative Works Symposium. After certification and obtaining a teaching position, Scholars will remain active in the EWU Noyce Program by participating in the Video Club three times per year and through regular contact with EWU faculty. The project will benefit from the collaboration and support of the Noyce Advisory Board and Noyce Collaborators. These groups will monitor and advise project leaders, ensure that the project is integrated into the culture at EWU, monitor recruitment and Scholar progress, and provide advice to resolve issues that arise. Ultimately, the EWU research-based project design provides activities within a learning progression that enables Scholars to develop into impactful and reflective STEM teachers.