Developing more, highly qualified science and mathematics teachers is a national priority. Through funding from the National Science Foundation, Xavier University of Louisiana's STEM Educational Engagement Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship project will offer scholarship support to thirteen outstanding junior and senior students majoring in biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and computer science to enable them to become K-12 teachers. These students will earn their baccalaureate degrees in a scientific, mathematical or computer science major and complete a Master of Arts in Teaching degree which will certify them to teach. In order to spark the interest of undergraduate science, mathematics, and computer science majors in teaching, forty freshman and sophomore students will participate in summer internships working with students from varying grade levels in a variety of summer camps. This investment by the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program in undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds from Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) will contribute to addressing the documented shortage of teachers of science, mathematics and computer science, particularly from students underrepresented in these fields.
In addition to the coursework that comprises the particular majors in biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and computer science, as well as the Master's level teaching courses, Noyce Teacher Scholars will be supported during the life of the grant by participating in educational seminars, training workshops, teaching experiences and activities focusing on the improvement of pedagogy to meet the needs of diverse student populations. These experiences will be facilitated by collaborations of education and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) faculty at XULA and other organizations including: Xavier University's Summer Science Academy "Stars" Program, The Audubon Nature Institute, National Society of Black Engineers Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK) summer camp, STEM NOLA, The Teacher Resource Center at NASA's Stennis Space Center, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), International Society for Technology in Education (ITSE), the NSTA Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy, and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). The United States is faced with the challenge of preparing its students to become international achievers. Researchers argue that teacher quality directly affects student achievement. Specifically, students whose teachers are grounded in content and pedagogical knowledge are more successful than students whose teachers have content and no pedagogy, or pedagogy and no content. The independent evaluation will examine indicators associated with recruitment, retention, the intern and scholar components, including the MAT, and teacher quality. The production of thirteen teachers with significant content depth, pedagogical acumen, and confidence and commitment to teaching students in high needs schools in Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Charles Parishes in the State of Louisiana is the major contribution that the STEM Educational Engagement project is making to improving teaching and learning in the sciences, mathematics and computer science.
