Equipping STEM Educators to Teach in High Need Rural Schools

该项目旨在满足美国增加高素质STEM教师数量的国家需求，特别关注农村学校。农村地区STEM教师面临的一个独特挑战是，他们可能是该地区唯一的STEM专家，这一职位通常被称为“骨干教师”。“这些人员通常需要教授广泛的高中数学和科学课程，同时还要领导该地区的STEM教育计划。该项目建议增加在高需求农村学校服务的高素质骨干STEM教师的数量。该项目将招募和培训骨干STEM教师，他们准备好在自己的教室和他们服务的农村地区发挥领导作用。这种准备的一个关键方面是在K-12 STEM教室创新的实地经验。 在杜尔特大学（DU）的这个项目包括与西苏族和勒马尔斯社区学区的伙伴关系。项目目标包括招聘，培训和支持27名高素质的STEM教师在项目的五年内进入该领域。将研究通过机器人技术和介导的实地经验使用综合STEM学习方法，并为STEM教育领域增加重要知识，沿着为农村，高需求的地方教育机构提供外展和教师准备的有效性。用于帮助招聘未来STEM教师的外联工作包括：1）K-12学生计划，提供STEM丰富和职业识别机会; 2）关于STEM教育机会的大学生外联; 3）教师网络机会，包括研讨会，教师圈子和专业学习社区。旨在提高教师准备，质量和保留的队列经验将包括：1）中介现场经验模型的应用，以提高教学效率; 2）专业发展机会，包括STEM教育会议;和3）通过杜诺伊斯专业学习社区完成STEM教育学士学位期间和之后的专业支持。将对高需求学校系统的辨别力、教师培训和新教师上岗进行详细评估，并用于不断改进。这个轨道1：奖学金和津贴项目是通过罗伯特诺伊斯教师奖学金计划（诺伊斯）的支持。诺伊斯计划支持有才华的STEM本科专业和专业人士成为高需求学区的有效K-12 STEM教师。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to serve the national need to increase the number of highly qualified STEM teachers in the United States, with a particular focus on rural schools. A unique challenge for STEM teachers in rural districts is that they may be the only STEM expert in the district, a position often called a "backbone teacher." Such personnel are often expected to teach a very wide-array of high school mathematics and science courses, while also leading STEM education initiatives for the district. This project proposes to increase the number of highly qualified, backbone STEM teachers serving in high need rural schools. This project will recruit and train backbone STEM teachers who are ready to lead both in their individual classrooms and across the rural districts in which they serve. A key aspect of this preparation is innovated field experiences in K-12 STEM classrooms. This project at Dordt University (DU) includes partnerships with the West Sioux and Le Mars Community School Districts. Project goals include the recruitment, training, and support of 27 highly qualified STEM teachers entering the field over the five years of the project. The use of an integrated STEM learning approach through robotics and mediated field experience will be studied and add important knowledge to the field of STEM education, along with the effectiveness of outreach and teacher preparation for rural, high-needs local education agencies. Outreach efforts to be employed to aid in recruitment of future STEM teachers include: 1) K-12 student programming that provides STEM enrichment and vocational discernment opportunities; 2) collegiate student outreach regarding opportunities available in STEM education; 3) teacher networking opportunities including workshops, teacher circles, and professional learning communities. Cohort experiences designed to increase teacher preparation, quality, and retention will include: 1) the application of the mediated field experience model shown to improve teaching efficacy; 2) professional development opportunities including STEM education conferences; and 3) professional support during and after completion of a STEM-education bachelor’s degree through the DU Noyce Professional Learning Community. Detailed evaluation of discernment, teacher training, and new faculty induction at high-needs school systems will be implemented and used to make on-going improvements. 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 in high-need school districts. It also supports research on the persistence, retention, and effectiveness 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.