Building Capacity for New Pathways to a Career in Mathematics Teaching in Central Alabama

该项目旨在满足国家培养高效数学教师的需要，以解决全国中学数学教师严重短缺的问题。在亚拉巴马，许多教师职位是通过临时和紧急认证状态填补。 在农村和需求量大的学校，持证教师的短缺问题尤为严重。更糟糕的是，全国参加教师教育项目的本科生人数急剧下降。该项目将与大学内外的合作伙伴一起设计一个计划，该计划将为已经拥有强大数学背景的“职业改变者”提供准备，以从事数学教学。该项目将收集数据，以设计一个简化的进入教师教育计划。 该计划将强调考生数学教学和学习知识的发展，以便他们为课堂上的成功做好准备。预计这种简化的方法将使潜在候选人更容易参与该计划，并为难以找到合格数学教师的高需求学区提供即时援助。能力建设项目由奥本大学领导，包括教育学院、课程与教学系、科学与数学学院以及数学与统计系内的伙伴关系;高需求学区包括塔拉波萨县学校、罗素县学校、奥佩利卡市学校和奥本市学校;还有两个州资助的组织支持教师专业发展（亚拉巴马数学、科学和技术倡议和东亚拉巴马地区在职中心）。项目目标包括：（1）在那些与确保足够的数学教师供应的利益相关者之间建立伙伴关系;（2）合作探索新的高效，有效和实用的方法，让职业改变者进入教师行业;（3）开始课程和课程设计需要由奥本大学和教育部的国家部门批准;（4）探索招聘策略。该项目的设计将建立在全国其他教师教育项目所做的研究基础上。这个能力建设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有效的K-12 STEM教师和经验丰富的模范K-12 STEM教师，成为高需求学区的STEM硕士教师。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 of preparing highly effective mathematics teachers to meet the acute national shortage of secondary mathematics teachers. In Alabama, many teaching positions are filled through Provisional and Emergency Certification status. The shortage of certified teachers is particularly acute in rural and high-need schools. Adding to the problem, there has been a sharp drop in the number of undergraduates enrolled in teacher education programs nationwide. This project will engage partners within and outside the University to design a program that will prepare “career changers” who already have a strong background in mathematics to pursue a career in teaching mathematics. The project will collect data to design a streamlined entry into a teacher education program. This program will emphasize development of the candidates’ knowledge of mathematics teaching and learning, so they are prepared for success in the classroom. Such a streamlined approach is anticipated to make participation in the program more feasible for potential candidates and provide immediate assistance to high-need school districts struggling to find qualified mathematics teachers. The Capacity Building project is led by Auburn University and includes partnerships within its College of Education, Department of Curriculum and Teaching, College of Sciences and Mathematics, and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics; with high-needs school districts including Tallapoosa County Schools, Russell County Schools, Opelika City Schools, and Auburn City Schools; and with two state-funded organizations supporting teacher professional development (Alabama Mathematics, Science, and Technology Initiative and the East Alabama Regional Inservice Center). Project objectives include: (1) Building partnerships among those with a stake in ensuring an adequate supply of mathematics teachers; (2) Collaboratively exploring new efficient, effective, and practical approaches for career changers to enter the teaching profession; (3) Beginning the course and curriculum design needed for approval by Auburn University and the State Department of Education; and (4) Exploration of recruitment strategies. The project design will build on research done by other teacher education programs across the nation. This Capacity Building 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, 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.