Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program Track 2 Project: Preparing Science Teaching Fellows in the Pacific Northwest Region

About This Grant

Noyce Track 2 project aims to serve the national need of inspiring, preparing, inducting, and retaining highly-qualified science teachers to serve and lead in high-need school districts. Additionally, this project will support 12 top-performing science majors by providing a comprehensive, five-year teacher preparation and early career induction program, including early science teaching experiences, graduate-level teacher training, five years of mentoring by highly effective science educators, and a two-year opportunity to engage in scientific research and leadership development alongside a professional scientist. The proposed project components intend to enable high-achieving prospective teachers to build lasting, impactful teaching careers, delivering effective science education to all students in their school communities. This project at Pacific University includes partnerships with Woodburn and Hillsboro (Oregon) school districts, Willamette University, and the Murdock Charitable Trust. Project goals include engaging 12 Teaching Fellows (TFs) over 6 years in a graduate-level science teacher preparation program that emphasizes student-centered science instruction, followed by a research-based induction program design to enhance teacher effectiveness and retention. TFs are expected to receive 50 hours of direct coaching and mentorship from experienced and effective science teachers who have demonstrated success in high-need schools. In addition, the program plans to engage TFs in professional science research during their second and third years of teaching through participation in the Murdock Partners in Science Program. TFs are anticipated to receive training in teacher leadership through opportunities for networking, as well as participation in Noyce conferences and workshops. An interactive evaluation approach is anticipated to be used in this project. Evaluation of the project is proposed to be guided by the following evaluation questions: (a) How effective is the project at increasing TF's knowledge and application of student-centered science teaching practices? and (b) How do TFs develop STEM teaching and leadership ability during their 5 years of project participation? The results of this project are expected to be disseminated to help enhance the field. This Track 2: Teaching Fellowships 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 teachers to become STEM master teachers in high-need school districts. It also supports research on the effectiveness and retention 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.