South Jersey STEM Education Scholars: Recruiting and Supporting STEM Teachers from Underrepresented Populations

在NSF罗伯特·诺伊斯教师奖学金计划的资助下，罗文大学的一个团队与格拉斯伯勒公立学校、米尔维尔公立学校和文兰公立学校合作，将招聘和准备科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)专业的学生，作为毕业后诺伊斯奖学金获得者，从事中学数学或科学教学。该项目将解决南泽西州和更广泛地区对合格、多样化的数学和科学教师队伍的迫切需求。罗文大学最近开发了一个创新的STEM教育硕士(STEM教育硕士)教师培训计划，专注于为教师候选人提供以研究为基础的最佳实践，并以在高需求学校为期一年的实习为中心。该项目将在这一势头和罗文不断增长的数学和自然科学学生人数的基础上，催化一个自我强化的循环，从而提高人们对STEM职业的兴趣，以及整个南泽西州的数学和科学素养的整体水平。到这个为期五年的项目结束时，25名诺伊斯教师将在南泽西州和更广泛的地区的急需的当地教育机构开始他们的教师生涯。该项目的智力价值在于它从代表不足的群体中招聘和支持教师候选人，并研究这些候选人的经验。特别是，该项目将深入了解：1)支持和阻碍这些人群进入和保留STEM教学的因素，以及2)有助于课堂有效性的因素。该项目将增加STEM教师队伍的多样性，以通过以下方式更紧密地匹配他们的学生：1)通过向本科STEM专业的学生提供Noyce实习机会，并向注册参加该计划的学生颁发Noyce奖学金，招募高素质的STEM教育硕士候选人；2)通过有针对性的建议和意外费用的竞争性补助，支持Noyce学者在临床领域的经验；3)通过向与Noyce Scholars合作的合作教师和临床主管提供专业发展，创建一个连贯的支持结构；4)通过提供专业发展和资深教师的指导，支持新近毕业的毕业生在最初两年的教学中担任Noyce教师；5)建立一个当地的教育工作者社区，在项目结束后继续存在；和6)评估、传播和维持最佳的招聘和留用做法。

With funding from the NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, a team at Rowan University, partnering with Glassboro Public Schools, Millville Public Schools, and Vineland Public Schools, will recruit and prepare science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors as post-baccalaureate Noyce Scholars for careers in teaching secondary mathematics or science. The project will address the urgent need for a qualified, diverse pool of mathematics and science teachers in South Jersey and the broader region. Rowan University recently developed an innovative Master of Arts in STEM Education (MA in STEM Ed) teacher preparation program that focuses on research-based best practices for teacher candidates, and centers around a yearlong residency in a high-need school. The project will build on this momentum and Rowan's growing student population in mathematics and the natural sciences to catalyze a self-reinforcing cycle that will increase interest in STEM careers as well as the overall level of mathematics and science literacy throughout South Jersey. By the end of the five-year project, 25 Noyce Teachers will have begun their teaching careers in high-need local education agencies in South Jersey and the broader region.The intellectual merit of this project rests in its recruitment and support of teacher candidates from underrepresented groups, and studying the experiences of these candidates. In particular, the project will gain insight into: 1) factors that support and impede entry into and retention in STEM teaching for these populations, and 2) factors that contribute to their effectiveness in the classroom. The project will increase the diversity of the STEM teacher workforce to more closely match that of their students by: 1) recruiting highly qualified candidates into the MA in STEM Ed program by providing Noyce Internships to undergraduate STEM majors and awarding Noyce Scholarships to students enrolled in the program; 2) supporting Noyce Scholars during their clinical field experience via targeted advising and competitive grants for unexpected expenses; 3) creating a coherent support structure by providing professional development to cooperating teachers and clinical supervisors working with Noyce Scholars; 4) supporting recent graduates as Noyce Teachers during their first two years of teaching by providing professional development, and mentorship from veteran teachers; 5) building a local community of educators that will persist beyond the period of the project; and 6) evaluating, disseminating, and sustaining the best recruitment and retention practices.