Leveraging Learning Assistantships, Mentoring, and Scholarships to Develop Self-Determined Mathematics Teachers for West Texas

在NSF Robert Noyce教师奖学金计划的支持下，这一Track 1奖学金和津贴项目旨在服务于高质量STEM教学的国家利益。这项建议特别针对国家和地方合格和认证的数学教师短缺的问题。在该奖项为期五年的时间里，该项目旨在培养27名新的获得认证的数学教师，他们将在西德克萨斯州的高需求学区任教。这项工作将由包括德克萨斯理工大学、两所社区学院(南普莱恩斯学院和米德兰学院)和拉伯克独立学区的合作伙伴完成。该项目将招收一年级和二年级的本科生，并通过在大学级别的数学课堂上担任学习助理的工作，为他们提供早期教学经验。通过为学习助理提供经济支持、近同行指导和直接的课堂经验，这一招聘策略有望鼓励学生在中学数学教学中追求职业生涯。该项目的目标是：1)吸引高质量、多样化的STEM本科生完成具有中等数学认证的多学科研究理学学士学位；2)为社区大学学生创造一条途径，使他们能够获得STEM学位和数学教师认证，并在初中或高中从事教学工作；3)培养具有较高教学内容和教学知识的自主数学教师，4)保留27名获奖者作为数学教师；以及5)加强研究和跟踪获奖者的活动。在该项目的第一阶段，将从两所社区学院和德克萨斯理工大学招募本科生担任学习助理，他们将在教师或教职员工的直接监督下支持STEM课堂。在第二阶段，那些决心从事教学事业的学生将被邀请申请诺伊斯奖学金并完成多学科研究学位。通过以前的奖项和具体的申请标准(例如，GPA)制定的自决标准将用于通知奖学金获得者选择。作为第二阶段的一部分，该项目将使用以往诺伊斯奖项的成功活动，包括导师模式、自决框架和奖学金研讨会。项目评价计划包括使用自决标准、学生人口统计数据、学生调查、文件分析、绩效跟踪和持续性跟踪。研究方法将是参与者和非参与者之间的结果比较。每个研究问题都将通过参与者概况分析、描述性定性比较和对绩效结果的多水平方差分析(MANOVA)进行检查。通过更好地了解如何招聘和留住高素质的数学教师，并吸引他们到高需求的学区任教，该项目可能会使国家受益。更直接的是，这个项目应该有助于填补当地学校数学教学的空缺职位。Noyce计划支持有才华的STEM本科专业和专业人员成为有效的K-12 STEM教师，并支持经验丰富、模范的K-12 STEM教师成为高需求学区的STEM硕士教师。它还支持对高需求学区K-12 STEM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 NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, this Track 1 Scholarships and Stipends project aims to serve the national interest in high-quality STEM teaching. This proposal specifically responds to a national and local shortage in qualified and certified mathematics teachers. Over the five-year duration of the award, the project aims to produce 27 new, certified mathematics teachers who will teach in high-need school districts in West Texas. The work will be done by a partnership that includes Texas Tech University, two community colleges (South Plains College and Midland College), and the Lubbock Independent School District. The project will recruit first- and second-year undergraduates and provide them with an early teaching experience through work as Learning Assistants in college-level math classes. By providing the learning assistant with financial support, near-peer mentoring, and direct classroom experience, This recruitment strategy is expected to encourage students to pursue a career in secondary mathematics teaching. The goals of this project are to: 1) Attract high quality, diverse, STEM undergraduate students to complete a Bachelor of Science in Multi-Disciplinary Studies degree with secondary mathematics certification; 2) Create a pathway for community college students to earn a STEM degree and teacher certification in mathematics and a career in middle school or high school teaching; 3) Prepare self-determined mathematics teachers who have a high degree of both content and pedagogical knowledge, 4) Retain 27 recipients as mathematics teachers; and 5) Augment research and tracking activities of recipients. In Stage I of this project, undergraduate students will be recruited from the two community colleges and Texas Tech University to serve as learning assistants who will support a STEM classroom under the direct supervision of a teacher or faculty member. In Stage II, those students who determine to pursue a teaching career will be invited to apply for a Noyce scholarship and complete the multidisciplinary studies degree. A self-determination rubric, which was developed through prior awards, and specific application criteria (e.g., GPA) will be used to inform Scholar selection. As part of Stage II, this project will use successful activities from prior Noyce awards, including a mentorship model, the self-determination framework, and a scholarship seminar. The project evaluation plan includes the use of the self-determination rubric, student demographics, student surveys, document analysis, performance tracking and persistency tracking. The research methodology will be an outcomes comparison between participants and non-participants. Each of the research questions will be examined through a participant profile analysis, descriptive qualitative comparisons, and a Multiple Level Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) on performance outcomes. This project may benefit the nation by developing a better understanding of how to recruit and retain highly-qualified mathematics teachers and attract them to teach in high-need school districts. More immediately, this project should help to fill the vacant positions in mathematics teaching in local schools. The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 STEM teachers and experienced, exemplary K-12 STEM teachers to become STEM master 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.