Education Studies (EDS) and the Physical Sciences Division (PSD) at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) are collaborating on an initiative to significantly increase the number of undergraduate STEM majors who pursue a career in public school teaching. The UCSD Undergraduate Mathematics and Science Education Initiative (UMSEI) is part of the University of California Systemwide California Teach Program. EDS and PSD implemented two undergraduate minors in mathematics education and science education in 2006-07. These minors engage lower-division STEM students in early field experiences and upper-division students in education foundation coursework, discipline-specific pedagogy and intensive apprenticeship experiences to prepare students to enter the UCSD graduate intern credential program. The focus of the minor is to support the development of content specific pedagogy, powerful teaching practices coupled with deep content knowledge, within perspective K-12 mathematics and science teachers. The work around the California Teach project has also supported deep and consistent collaboration between Education Studies and the Physical Science Division about teacher knowledge and preparation. Noyce Scholarship funding is utilized to recruit 65 mathematics, chemistry, physics, geoscience and engineering majors into the undergraduate minors and graduate intern credential program. The UCSD EDS teacher credential program and the UMSEI program have partnerships with local community colleges, including San Diego Community College, Grossmont Community College, Palomar Community College, and Mira Mesa Community college, to recruit their transfer students to the program as well as partnerships with San Diego Unified School District, Grossmont Union High School District, Sweetwater Union High School District, Gompers Charter School, High Tech High Charter, the Preuss School Charter, and Guajome Park Academy Charter to support the extensive experiences of undergraduate STEM majors.
