The University of Alabama (UA) Noyce Scholars program is designed to increase the number and diversity of teachers graduating from UA in chemistry, mathematics, and physics. The targeted disciplines are in great demand in Alabama and the nation. The project has 3 major goals with objectives that include 1) recruitment through early teaching experiences, 2) collaborative strategies supporting and sustaining juniors and seniors, and 3) extensive and evolving induction for graduates aimed at retaining quality teachers in high-need school districts. Noyce scholars are actively recruited from high schools and community colleges throughout the state, universities, in addition to STEM professionals, with a focus on underrepresented, diverse candidates. The project is enhancing the UA teacher preparation program in the targeted disciplines with activities leading to the production of 21 new science and mathematics teachers including: 1) freshman orientation experiences at UA and 8 collaborating community colleges followed by 75 summer UA internships to work with a researcher and visit exemplary classrooms, 2) sophomore extended orientation followed by 45 summer internships as learning assistants in UA classrooms, 3) junior and senior year training and inquiry oriented teaching experiences using lab technology supported by 14 scholarships, 4) MA STEM professional certification program supported by 7 stipends, and 5) a multistage induction process beginning with expert teacher mentoring in high needs schools through graduate coursework leading to mentoring of new teachers by the Noyce scholar. For each year of funding received, Noyce Scholars commit to teaching two years in a high needs school district. UA Noyce accomplishes these goals first through strong collaboration with Alabama community colleges in regions with many high-need schools. Each community college has a designated liaison faculty mentor who assists with student recruitment into UA Noyce and placement of summer interns following the freshman and sophomore years. Second is collaboration with the statewide Alabama Math Science and Technology Initiative recognized as an exemplary model program by the Center for Excellence in Education. Third is partnership with rural and urban school districts providing students with teaching experiences throughout their program. The districts have a high percentage of underrepresented low income students with few STEM role models. The schools provide mentor teachers, assist in recruiting, offer exemplary classrooms for field experiences, and collaborate with UA in developing, implementing, and sustaining an extensive 4-year induction program.
The project addresses the development of the teacher from the freshman year into the early years as an inservice teacher. It provides research-based practices including development of a recruiting network, early teaching experiences to motivate and sustain student interest, mentoring relationships with inservice teachers, extensive quality field experiences in STEM content and pedagogy, and induction courses as new teachers. The project has strong evaluation and research components examining factors that affect the recruitment, retention, diversity, preparation, and induction of Noyce teachers. Some important questions for which data are collected include characteristics of successful recruits, impact of early learning experiences, the success of the Noyce program in keeping teachers in the profession, and the effectiveness of inservice Noyce teachers compared with non-Noyce teachers.
The project is disseminating a synergistic model for the use of collaboratives to create, build upon, and increase the STEM pathway. The UA model establishes an extensive recruitment network for teachers in chemistry, mathematics, and physics using community colleges located in rural and urban regions often lacking in role models for students in the targeted fields. The model demonstrates the use and upgrading of existing infrastructure to enhance research-based STEM teacher education program development.
