This Robert Noyce Phase 1 project represents a partnership between the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's (UTK) VolsTeach four-year, two-career path program (a UTeach replicate), the National Institute for Math and Biological Synthesis, Anderson County Schools, Roane County Schools, and Knox County Schools. It is a collaborative effort between content area professionals in math and science, teacher educators, a national institute emphasizing the quantitative nature of science, and three school systems in communities under economic distress. Over the course of the project 45 Internships are supporting freshman and sophomore student service in a variety of educational outreach activities, while 42 Noyce scholarships are supporting a select group of junior and senior VolsTeach students.
Intellectual Merit: Two key components of the project designed to improve the quality of the teachers the program prepares are: a Noyce Research Methods course to equip the Scholars for engaging their future students in STEM inquiry, and a monthly Noyce Seminar Series on STEM Issues that is broadly advertised to encourage participation from a variety of stakeholders including experienced and novice teachers, those preparing to be teachers, faculty in the sciences, math and education and the interested public. Formative and summative assessments are being conducted on all aspects of the project.
Broader Impact. The program is providing quality teachers in STEM disciplines to school systems that most need them. These teachers have a strong foundation in engaging students in inquiry learning, including experience with cooperative learning and model research systems that support high school student math and science literacy and its application to technology. In addition the Noyce Scholars are being supported during their early years as teachers thus ensuring they will be able to implement creative teaching methods in STEM in the high-need schools where they will serve. Information about the project, particularly the research methods course, is being disseminated statewide and nationally in publications, conference presentations, and other communications.
