River Region Master Teaching Fellowships in Environmental Sustainability

为了满足南伊利诺伊州及周边地区对高素质STEM教师的需求，南伊利诺伊大学卡本代尔分校（SIUC）将实施Track 3 Robert Noyce硕士教学奖学金项目。该项目侧重于环境可持续性，旨在解决当地环境问题并使STEM课程现代化，从而培养中学生在大学取得成功并获得生活工资的工作。为了实现项目目标，SIUC正在与Carbondale科学中心以及该地区的高需求学校和学区合作。参与的学校或学区包括Belleville Township High school West， Cairo Jr./Sr.；高中，卡拉瑟斯学校，诺里斯市-奥马哈-恩菲尔德高中，格雷维尔社区单位学区1，特里科社区单位学区176，斯蒂尔维尔社区单位学区138。本项目将选择15名具有硕士学位的初高中教师作为硕士教学研究员。选择标准包括作为教育者的表现、内容知识以及通过创新和有效的教学法加强STEM教学实践的承诺。这些教学硕士研究员将在整个五年的项目中从事暑期研究和专业发展。该项目的目标是通过参与活动、有针对性的指导以及与当地社区科学中心的合作，改善STEM教师领导者的教育实践。参与者将参与一个为期五年的项目，其中整合了四个核心体验：内容增强、研究体验、教学法和领导力。通过教师专业发展，提高科学素养和真实的研究经验，硕士教学研究员将领导他们的学校和地区为农村地区数千名服务不足的学生改善STEM教育。在卡本代尔科学中心加强展示和活动的合作努力中，硕士教学研究员的参与有可能在非正式环境中接触到学习者，并提高社区的科学素养。领导力发展将通过课程作业、职前和新手教师指导以及学校改革活动系统地纳入每年的项目。项目要素将通过一般的可持续发展概念、毒理学/废物管理、生物多样性、全球环境变化和能源来遵循主题的进展。课程作业和真实的研究经历遵循这些主题，最终将获得专为教师设计的可持续发展研究生证书。在参加连续五个暑期研究所之前，他们将参加科学内容课程，在SIUC研究人员和科学教育专家的指导下，让他们沉浸在为期三周的探究性和研究活动中。活动将旨在传授学生解决问题、探究和批判性思维的技能。在暑期研修期间，教学硕士研究员还将针对各自学校制定可持续发展计划，例如减少农药用量和节约当地能源使用。教学硕士研究员将根据他们的课程作业和研究经验开发和实施课堂活动。这些活动将与ngss保持一致，通过行动研究进行评估，并进行微调，以最大限度地提高学生的学习能力。学生的成绩将通过前测试和后测试、既定的态度和STEM评估工具以及伊利诺伊州开发的与ngss一致的高质量测试来评估。硕士教学研究员将通过领导力研讨会、课程和辅导来指导，以增加领导和带来STEM教育积极变化所需的专业知识、技能和性格。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

To help meet the need for highly qualified STEM teachers in Southern Illinois and surrounding areas, Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) will implement a Track 3 Robert Noyce Master Teaching Fellowship project. The project focuses on environmental sustainability, with the aims of addressing local environmental problems and modernizing the STEM curricula, thereby training secondary school students for college success and living-wage jobs. To accomplish the project goals, SIUC is partnering with the Carbondale Science Center and high-need schools and school districts in the region. Participating schools or school districts include Belleville Township High School West, Cairo Jr./Sr. High School, Carruthers School, Norris City-Omaha-Enfield High School, Grayville Community Unit School District 1, Trico Community Unit School District 176, and Steeleville Community Unit School District 138. The project will select fifteen middle and high school teachers with master's degrees to serve as Master Teaching Fellows. Selection criteria include performance as educators, content knowledge, and commitment to enhancing STEM teaching practice through innovative and effective pedagogy. These Master Teaching Fellows will engage in summer research experiences and professional development throughout the five-year project. The goal of the project is to improve educational practices of STEM teacher leaders through engaging activities, targeted mentoring, and partnership with a local community Science Center. Participants will engage in a five-year program that integrates four core experiences throughout: content enhancement, research experiences, pedagogy, and leadership. Through teacher professional development, science literacy enhancement, and authentic research experiences, Master Teaching Fellows will lead their schools and districts to improve STEM education for thousands of underserved students in the rural River Region. Engagement of Master Teaching Fellows in collaborative efforts to enhance displays and events at the Science Center of Carbondale has the potential to reach learners in an informal setting and enhance science literacy in the community. Leadership development will be systematically incorporated into each year of the program through coursework, through pre-service and novice teacher mentoring, and through school reform activities. Program elements will follow a progression of topics through general sustainability concepts, toxicology/waste management, biodiversity, global environmental change, and energy. Coursework and authentic research experiences follow these topics and will culminate in a graduate Certificate in Sustainability designed specifically for teachers. will take science content courses prior to engaging in five consecutive Summer Research Institutes that immerse them for three weeks in inquiry-based and research activities mentored by SIUC researchers and science education experts. Activities will be designed to impart problem-solving, inquiry and critical thinking skills to students. During Summer Research Institutes, Master Teaching Fellows will also develop sustainability plans specific to their schools, such as reduction of pesticide loading and conservation of local energy usage. Master Teaching Fellows will develop and implement classroom activities based upon their coursework and research experiences. These activities will be NGSS-aligned, assessed through Action Research, and fine-tuned to maximize student learning. Student outcomes will be assessed through pre- and post-tests, established attitude and STEM assessment instruments, and high-quality tests developed by Illinois that are NGSS-aligned. Master Teaching Fellows will be guided via leadership workshops, coursework, and mentoring to increase professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to lead and bring about positive change in STEM education.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.