The El Paso Partnership for the Preparation of STEM Teachers to Implement Project-based Learning

在罗伯特·诺伊斯教师奖学金计划的支持下，德克萨斯大学埃尔帕索分校(UTEP)的这一Track 1项目旨在服务于培养高素质STEM教师的国家需求。UTEP正在与埃尔帕索独立学区(EPISD)合作，EPISD是一个高度需要的学区，其大部分人口被归类为西班牙裔和高危人口。这一合作伙伴关系将建立一个创新和变革性的教师培训计划，在新技术网络(NTN)的支持下，将诺伊斯学者纳入目前正在实施基于项目的学习(PBL)的学校网站。新技术网络是一个全国性的非营利性网络，旨在推动公立学校的全面教学和文化变革。具体地说，合作伙伴关系将建立专业发展学校，在那里，职前STEM教师与大学和校本教师一起学习理论和实践，创新地培养和毕业知识渊博的STEM教师，他们了解学习理论如何指导有意义和有价值的教学实践。Noyce@UTEP计划的目标是：(1)招聘、认证和留住科学、技术、工程或数学(STEM)本科专业的Noyce学者；(2)设计和完善课程作业和实地教学经验，以使Noyce学者成为有效的教师；以及(3)创造和传播有关如何最好地培养STEM教师的知识。预计36名诺伊斯奖学金获得者将获得STEM学科学士学位和中等STEM教学认证，并为在高需求学区任教做好充分准备。科学和教育学院将为STEM主修和中等教育辅修专业的学生共同设计一门高级必修课，该课程将向学生介绍(1)使用PBL向学生传授STEM概念的新方法；(2)保护英语教学；以及(3)浸入式计划中的特殊教育。其他必修教育课程将结合实施PBL的学校现场经验。其中两门课程将在NTN高中校园举行，诺伊斯学者将在那里与在职教师和大学教职员工进行有意义的互动，同时沉浸在真实的PBL教学体验中。这将有助于形成一个实践社区，这是该计划的一个组成部分。一项研究调查将产生知识，以了解社会网络和支持结构在让诺伊斯学者准备在以西班牙裔学生为主的高需求学校任教方面的影响。培养有效STEM教师的最佳做法知识将在各种场所传播，包括学校管理会议和年度会议，如新技术网络会议、全国数学教师理事会、全国科学教师协会、美国教育研究协会、由德克萨斯州科学教师协会主办的科学教学促进会议(CAST)、数学教学促进会议和TODOS(全民数学：数学中的卓越与公平)。Noyce计划支持有才华的STEM本科专业和专业人员成为高需求学区的有效K-12数学和科学教师，支持经验丰富和模范的K-12 STEM教师成为大师教师。它还支持对高需求学区K-12教师的持久性、保留率和有效性的研究。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With support from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, this Track 1 project at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) aims to serve the national need of preparing high-quality STEM teachers. UTEP is partnering with the El Paso Independent School District (EPISD), a high-need district with a majority of its population classified as Hispanic and at-risk. The partnership will establish an innovative and transformative teacher preparation program, integrating Noyce Scholars into school sites currently implementing project-based learning (PBL) with support from the New Tech Network (NTN), a national, non-profit network for comprehensive pedagogical and cultural change in public school settings. Specifically, the partnership will establish professional development school sites where pre-service STEM teachers learn theory and practice alongside university- and school-based faculty to innovatively prepare and graduate knowledgeable STEM teachers, who understand how learning theories inform meaningful and valuable instructional practices.The Noyce@UTEP program goals are to: (1) recruit, certify, and retain Noyce Scholars, who are science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) undergraduate majors; (2) design and refine coursework and field-based teaching experiences to prepare Noyce Scholars to be effective teachers; and (3) create and disseminate knowledge on how best to prepare STEM teachers. Thirty-six (36) Noyce Scholars are expected to graduate with a baccalaureate degree in a STEM discipline and secondary STEM teaching certification and be fully prepared to teach in high-need school districts. Science and Education faculty will co-design a senior-level required course for STEM majors with a secondary education minor, which will expose students to (1) novel methods for teaching students STEM concepts using PBL; (2) sheltered English instruction; and (3) special education in immersion programs. Other required education courses will integrate field experiences at school sites where PBL is implemented. Two of these courses will be held on an NTN high school campus where Noyce Scholars will meaningfully interact with in-service teachers and university faculty while being immersed in authentic PBL teaching and learning experiences. This will contribute to the formation of a community of practice, an integral component of the program. A research investigation will generate knowledge to understand the effect of social networks and support structures in preparing Noyce Scholars to teach in high-need schools with a predominantly Hispanic student population. Knowledge of best practices in preparing effective STEM teachers will be disseminated across various venues to include school administrator meetings and annual conferences, such as the New Tech Network Conference; National Council of Teachers of Mathematics; National Science Teachers Association; American Educational Research Association; Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching (CAST), sponsored by the Science Teachers Association of Texas; Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teaching; and TODOS (Mathematics for All: Excellence and Equity in Mathematics). The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 mathematics and science teachers in high-need school districts and experienced and exemplary K-12 STEM teachers to become master teachers. It also supports research on the persistence, retention, and effectiveness of K-12 teachers in high-need school districts.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.