In partnership with the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS), Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) is offering Robert Noyce Scholarships to qualified science teacher candidates who commit to working in an urban or high-need district after graduation. The 30% attrition rate of new science teachers within IPS and inadequate numbers of new teachers pursuing science degrees statewide are two particular areas of concern that the IUPUI-IPS Noyce partnership is addressing. The goal is to graduate 30 Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Earth Science teachers over four years, who have earned a STEM bachelor's degree from Purdue University (IUPUI) and also fulfilled the Indiana Division of Professional Standards requirements for teaching Science in grades 6 -12. The Advance Urban Learning: Teach Science project is based on current pedagogy and educational research existing within IUPUI's successful "Learning to Teach, Teaching to Learn" program, known for its focus on the challenges of teaching in an urban context. Experienced teachers serve as mentors and host Noyce Scholars in their classrooms. Recruitment efforts focus on attracting minority students into teaching and include a course for freshman and sophomores on exploring teaching as a career. This project broadens and expands the current Robert Noyce Scholarship post-baccalaureate program at IUPUI to include undergraduate Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth Science students. Noyce Scholars are future leaders who have undergone extensive preparation in their content areas and are also well-versed in current pedagogical practice, benefiting both colleagues in the profession as well as the students they guide and instruct. This diverse group also serves as future mentors for successive Noyce teacher candidates.
