2012 Noyce Conference Program - The Robert Noyce Scholarship ...

PI POSTER ABSTRACTSresources and support to ensure teacher retention. Pre‐NOYCEactivities such as teaching in the college's Summer Science Programare made available to freshmen and sophomores who wishto ultimately apply for NOYCE scholarships. Program objectivesare to provide: 1) scholarships for junior and senior majors fromBiology, chemistry, mathematics and computers, and physics,who have demonstrated an interest in obtaining teacher certification;2) a substantial curriculum that includes extensive clinicalexperience in the classroom and professional development forpreparation to enter the 7‐12 science and mathematics classroomas a highly qualified and highly effective teacher; 3) resourcesand support to ensure teacher retention.107Title: Reflections on the Third Year of the Towson UniversityRobert Noyce Teacher Scholarship ProgramNSF Noyce Award Number: 0934751Principal Investigator: David A. VankoEmail: dvanko@towson.eduInstitution: Towson State UniversityCo‐PI(s): Jeff Passe, Todd Kenreich, Donald A. Thomas, and JaneL. WolfsonPresenter(s): Tissa Thomas (Project Administrator),TThomas@towson.eduTowson University’s (TU) Noyce program awards scholarships tojuniors and seniors and graduate stipends for those who areseeking certification to teach in the STEM disciplines through theMaster of Arts in Teaching. The program features recruitment,summer activities, induction activities and a monitoring/evaluation program. It reflects a strong and long‐standing collaborationof TU’s Jess and Mildred Fisher College of Science andMathematics and the College of Education. The program wasintentionally designed to attract high caliber students whosefinancial needs might otherwise prohibit their entry into teacherpreparation. This is being accomplished through careful coordinationwith our NSF STEP grant involving TU, Baltimore CityCommunity College and the Baltimore City Public School Systemcurrently in its third year, our Hackerman Academy outreachprograms, our two NSF S‐STEM grants, and several other existingprograms that provide opportunities to identify and mentor adiverse pool of teacher preparation candidates.In each of the first two years, five undergraduates and two MATstudents were awarded scholarships or stipends, respectively.Recruiting efforts focus on TU STEM majors, particularly TUSTEM‐secondary education students, and the five or six communitycolleges that traditionally supply almost half of Towson’sundergraduate population via the transfer pathway.In this third year of the program, we awarded 11 scholarshipsand 4 graduate student stipends. This is a doubling of new Noycescholars relative to the last year. Much effort has been placedon providing opportunities for the Scholars to carry out hands‐on activities with children during various outreach activities. Forexample, our Saturday Morning Science series, led by HackermanAcademy of Mathematics and Science Director, and formerastronaut, Dr. Don Thomas, features an hour of hands‐on activitiestied to the topic of that Saturday’s presentation. Frequently,Scholars volunteer to develop and implement one of the handsonscience activities. Others volunteer as local science fairjudges, or they work with students during classroom visits to theuniversity arranged by their teachers or the Hackerman Academy.Feedback from the scholars suggests that these activitiesare highly valued.Our program continues to hold its Annual Fall Banquet welcomingnew scholars and introducing them to current ones, monthlymeetings, scheduled and ad hoc peer mentoring/tutoring, andother social events for community development. The programmaintains communication with all twenty nine scholars, includingthe 8 that have graduated and are teaching (7) or continuingtheir education (1).Graduates who are teaching report that one of their biggestchallenges is classroom management, which has led to rich discussionsabout this topic at the monthly meetings. This is oneexample of the benefit of maintaining contact with graduates,something that can benefit both the graduates and the teachersin training.108Title: Recruiting and Supporting STEM Career Changers: TheNoyce Teaching Fellows Program at Trinity UniversityNSF Noyce Award Number: 0934836Principal Investigator: Shari AlbrightEmail: jnordine@trinity.eduInstitution: Trinity UniversityCo‐PI(s): Patricia Norman and Jeffrey NordinePresenter(s): Jeffrey Nordine, Trinity University, jnordine@trinity.eduPatricia Norman, Trinity University,Patricia.Norman@trinity.eduHenrietta Freeman, henrifree@yahoo.comAbigail Drake, adrake1@trinity.eduThe decision to change careers is typically a difficult one, andSTEM professionals face a variety of challenges when deciding totransition into teaching. These challenges include family logisticsas well as social and financial concerns. In this poster, we presentstrategies utilized in Trinity University’s Noyce TeachingFellows Program as we recruit and support career changers asthey pursue a Master of Arts in Teaching degree and transitioninto their teaching career. Such strategies include individualizedpre‐enrollment preparation plans, interactions with previousTeaching Fellows, and coursework designed to encourage connectionsbetween theory and practice in STEM teaching. OurA432012 NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program Conference