A Community-Based Approach to Inclusive STEM Teacher Preparation

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This project aims to serve the national interest by preparing confident, flexible, effective teachers who can connect with diverse students and their families in high-need schools. This project also focuses on learning about ways to support teachers’ own social-emotional needs. Both goals are especially important in today’s context of ever more diversifying public schools and the ongoing strains due to the COVID-19 pandemic and social conflict. Teachers who understand the application of STEM concepts to real world problems can serve to increase relevance and application of content for all students, especially those students from diverse communities. STEM educators focused on closing opportunity gaps recognize the need for more interdisciplinary approaches in STEM to cultivate equitable and inclusive practices in high-need schools. The approach of this project is student-centered, in both the ways it will support Noyce Scholars as learners, and the ways it will help STEM teachers center the diverse needs of their own students.This project at Metropolitan State University of Denver includes partnerships with Aurora Public Schools, the Aurora Public Schools: Action Zone, and the Early College of Arvada. Project goals over this five-year period include offering funding coupled with comprehensive support for 17 undergraduate and post-baccalaureate mathematics and science Scholars during their teacher preparation program and transition into teaching. This project features a new teacher induction program focused on capacity building, community building, and social-emotional learning. Its components include near peer mentoring, a professional learning community, co-teaching, and lesson study. These efforts are situated on a foundation of previously funded Noyce programs, built over the past five years to foster a community of learners. Participants are expected to develop a sense of belonging, shared mission, and increased professional competencies. The project is designed to support outcomes including inclusive STEM teaching and learning, field experiences, near peer mentoring, interdisciplinary connections, family engagement, and vertical integration across the grades. Broader impacts and intellectual merit are grounded in an investigation of the impact of integrating interdisciplinary STEM experiences and connections in STEM teacher preparation and new teacher induction support. The external evaluation is intended to ensure that implementation processes are working efficiently and effectively and will provide summative data about the impact of the program and its various elements on participating students. Dissemination will occur through a range of local, regional, and national practitioner networks. This Track 1: Scholarships and Stipends project is supported through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce). The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 STEM teachers and experienced, in high-need school districts. It also supports research on the effectiveness and retention of K-12 STEM 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.