Using Field Experiences to Uncover Interests in Teaching PI: Dionne B. Jackson (Education) Co-PIs: Liz Gron (Chemistry) Todd Tinsley (Physics) James Jennings (Education) 1
Hendrix N-STEAD Hendrix Noyce - STEM Teacher Education in the Arkansas Delta Content Specialists Program Goals to: Teaching “Experts” and Recruit Sensitive to Culture Develop Support highly qualified STEM teachers for the Arkansas Delta Currently starting our 4 th year of a 5 year $1.1 Million Noyce Grant 2015 Noyce Connections # 2 2
The Arkansas Delta 3 2015 Noyce Connections # 3 zeemaps.com
National Teacher Shortage Need between 2.3 – 4.5 million new teachers from 2009 – 2020* Legislated Mandates: • TEACH campaign (2009) – US Dept of Education; Microsoft & State Farm Recruit and maintain one million new teachers • America COMPETES Reauthorization Act (2010) – STEM initiative including 100,000 new k-12 STEM teachers by 2020 * Aaronson et al (2009) Economic Perspectives, 33(4), 2-15. Jackson et. al. (2015) ArATE - Arkansas Association of Teacher Educators, Electronic Journal 6(1),March. 2015 Noyce Connections # 4
Hendrix College Fast Facts • College : Four-year, private, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church • Students : 1,338 – lots of strong science students • Academic profile, class of ’19 : midrange scores: 1100- Table 1: 2011- 2012 Enrollments in Introductory STEM Majors’ Courses 1320 SAT and 25-32 ACT, and 3.58-4.31 GPA (first majors course only) Student % based on entering class • Faculty : 107 full-time and Majors : 34 undergraduate Department (absolute number) • Student/faculty ratio : 11:1 and Average class size : 17 Chemistry (CHEM 110) 48% (180) Biology (BIOL 150) 46% (173) • Athletics : NCAA Division III, Southern Athletic Mathematics (MATH 130 – Calculus I) 38% (142) Association Physics (PHYS 210 or 230) 26% (96) Computer Science (CSI 230) 3% (12) 2015 Noyce Connections # 5
Hendrix College Fast Facts • College : Four-year, private, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church • Students : 1,338 – very few science teachers Table 2: STEM Major Outcomes - 2002 to 2011 Student % Current Status (absolute number) Earned or enrolled science Ph.D. or MD-Ph.D 18% (105) Earned or enrolled clinician 36% (210) (MD, DDS, DMD, DVM) K-12 STEM teacher practitioner or candidate 0.7% (4) Unknown 32% (188) Students pursuing other options 13% (77) 2015 Noyce Connections # 6 6 Total Majors 584
N-STEAD Program Components • N-STEAD Internship - summer internship to introduce first and second year students to STEM teaching. Interns receive an $1,800 stipend • N-STEAD Scholars Program - up to $15,000 per year in scholarship support (renewable once) or tuition free for post- baccalaureate STEM Majors with: 1. Junior or senior status with a minimum GPA of 3.0. 2. A commitment to work in high-need schools, and 3. Potential for success in a high-need school command of science and science education (academic potential). Special consideration is given to underrepresented minorities and/or students with high financial need. 2015 Noyce Connections # 7 7
3-Year Program Outcomes • Increased ratio of STEM / total licensure candidates from 33% in year 1 to 50% in year 3 of the grant. • In 2015 - 75% of STEM licensure candidates were N-STEAD Scholars. • Awarded 3 scholar positions – Two now teaching in the Little Rock Public School system. (1 traditional and 2 post-baccalaureate) • Awarded 9 intern positions (filled by 7 individuals) increasing awareness of the program and the benefits of becoming licensed to teach STEM 2015 Noyce Connections # 8 8
Hendrix N-STEAD Scholars 9
Six Factors Important for Entry into Teacher Education D. Jackson et al ArATE Online Journal, 6(1), March 2015 Dispositions & Experiences that Promote entering Teaching: • Desire to Work with Young People (Curtis, 2012; Olsen, 2008) Social Justice (Curtis, 2012; Olsen, 2008) • Role Models and Mentors (Abell et al., 2006; Curtis, 2012; Olsen, 2008) • Activities that can effect Consideration of Teaching: Remove Preconceptions about Teaching (Swanson, 2011) • • Provide Informal Teaching Internships (Schuster, 2013; Worsham et al., 2014) Offer Financial Support (Liou et al., 2010) • 2015 Noyce Connections # 10
Four Implications for Recruitment Build a program that pulls together: • Field Experiences (Olsen, 2008; Schuster, 2013; Worsham et al, 2014) • Address Students ’ Prior Experiences & Preconceptions (Olsen, 2008; Swanson, 2011) • Allow for Networking (Abell, 2006) • Illustrate the opportunities for Social Justice (Liou, 2010) Important for our scholar and internship program. 2015 Noyce Connections # 11
Proposed Plan for Internship ( from grant) Interns would teach within an informal STEM context. Specifically interns would: • Align our Ridin’ program activities with state standards • Organize program with Hendrix and community partners • Assist N-STEAD scholars with the development and teaching of new STEM activities • Lead activities during the Ridin ’ Dirty program • Develop assessments for Ridin’ and Ridin’ on the road. 2015 Noyce Connections # 12 12
Internship Centerpiece On-site summer science camp known as Ridin’ Dirty with Science * . 1 week program; two 2-day sessions; 16 STEM major volunteers • ~50 children, rising 3 rd - 6 th graders, from the Boys and Girls Club • *Pop Song “Ridin’” by Chamillionaire , 2005. 2015 Noyce Connections # 13 13
Intern Timeline Interns Selected Interns Selected Interns Selected February 2012 March 2013 March 2014 2015 Noyce Connections # 14 14
Initial Model (2013) – Undergraduate Laboratory Research Model Start in Literature – • • Read papers on assessments of informal science education Connect state teaching standards to the camp activities • Redesign past experiments – • Read past evaluations and discusses project weaknesses • Re-design projects or create replacements • Execute new experiment - once • 2015 Noyce Connections # 15 15
Initial Model – Weaknesses Quotes from intern exit surveys • “The least valuable part of this internship is that it has not lead me to enter into the career of a teacher .” • “For a brief period of time, research was involved. It took days and involved long hours. The research information was indeed relevant, but with the importance of putting the Ridin’ Dirty with Science program together, we didn’t really get around to it.” • “Regretfully using the common core standards, at first, to design our activities. Though it was a necessary tool, I felt I did not learn anything, I felt we were more productive after we stopped looking at them so much, but they were necessary .” 2015 Noyce Connections # 16 16
Present Model 2015 – Engaging in the Teaching Ridin’ Dirty is still the “capstone” experience, but the Internship is about developing the interns as prospective teachers • Observation of teaching • Training in teaching • Execution of teaching Active informal mentorship: Weekly lunches with the scholars and PIs Formal article discussions Ice cream breaks Group dinner Lunch with scholars and working teachers 2015 Noyce Connections # 17 17
The Hendrix N-STEAD Internship 18
Activities - Observation of Teaching 1. Visited /Observed at a variety of public school settings Suburban – 6 th grade, Bob Courtway Middle School, Conway, AR • • Rural , high minority Delta – KIPP Delta Collegiate School, Helena, AR • [ Urban – Cloverdale Magnet Middle School in Little Rock] 2. Observed the children at the the Boys and Girls Club • Saw the “target audience” for the science camp Each intern picked a Ridin ’ Dirty activity that needed refining. This activity was the touchstone they used when observing/ interacting / relating with other activities. 2015 Noyce Connections # 19 19
Activities – Training in Teaching Engaging with Off-campus Science Teaching Professionals 1. Museum of Discovery 2. STEM Teacher Workshop ** interns were uniformly enlivened by conversations with teaching professionals outside of their “regular” faculty ** Outreach Events 1. 30 min Science Demonstration at Boys and Girls Club Aka lessons in how to hold an audience 2. Ridin’ on the Road - 2 hour play date McGehee – Desha Alumni Center 14 children, grades 1 – 8; using the simplest of the Ridin’ Dirty activities. ** shocked by the very real lack of exposure to “common” science ideas ** (low science literacy) ** surprised at the continuing racial divides ** 2015 Noyce Connections # 20 20
Thomas Lipham, Program Director at The Museum of Discovery 2015 Noyce Connections # 21 21
McGehee-Desha Alumni Community Center 2015 Noyce Connections # 22 22
Activities – Executing Teaching Need to solve the problem that Ridin’ Dirty only runs once. “Practice” Teaching 1. Formalize teaching the activities to each other 2. Invite Ridin Dirty Volunteers to laboratories for a “play date” - interns in charge! ** low play-date turnout , but enough to force interns to be in charge ** Real Teaching - Ridin’ Dirty 2015 1. Interns prepared the laboratories and the materials 2. Interns trained the 16 volunteers on their own section 3. Executed their section for ~25 children and 16 peers. 2015 Noyce Connections # 23 23
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