South Dakota State University (SDSU) seeks to increase the number of talented STEM teachers in high-need public, secondary schools (grades 7-12) in rural South Dakota. Over the course of funding, 12 students will receive scholarships during their junior and senior years to complete a biology, chemistry, math, or physics major while pursuing secondary education certification. Several strategies will be used to recruit and retain these students including (a) initiation of early field experiences for those who are considering becoming teachers, (b) establishment of a Learning Assistants program for students in their second and third years, and (c) employment of face-to-face and virtual platforms to create a network of recent graduates, scholars, and faculty. A retrospective study will compare the previous cohorts (funded through a Phase I grant) to the new students in order to determine how the project components impact students at each stage of their professional development and which project components are most effective in supporting teachers in rural districts. This work will be done in collaboration with Brookings and Huron school districts.
The goals of the project are based on a theory of action which posits that research mentoring, student enrichment and support activities, and professional affiliation should contribute to pre-service students' success at each phase of their professional training and development. Evaluation data from Phase I will be mined and compared to data collected regarding the Phase II scholars. For the Phase I cohorts, research questions will address the factors that contributed to high quality teacher preparation and translate into the generation of high quality teachers. Assessment of the Phase II cohorts will follow a Context, Input, Process, and Product model. All data will be collected using interviews, on-line surveys, work samples, and observation reports. Dissemination of the project results will provide an example for how to use research as a motivator and tool for training future STEM teachers. The project team plans to present its work through the annual SDSU Faculty Excellence Celebration Day and at the Joint Annual Meetings of South Dakota Math and Science Teachers Association, and through publication of research and evaluation findings in peer reviewed journals that focus on rural education. Project deliverables will include results of summative evaluation and the student enrichment materials.
