This Noyce project is building the capacity for talented undergraduate STEM majors to pursue teaching careers through two years of funding that will lead to to a later Phase I Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Track project. The project addresses state requirements for teacher certification as well as the research on how students learn STEM material in the classroom. STEM majors from Texas A&M-Commerce, including alternative certification programs, and 23 surrounding community colleges are identified and recruited in preparation for expansion of current STEM teacher production. In addition, a restructuring of the current student pathway and introduction of new instructional strategies strengthen the present STEM certification program.
The strategy to rebuild the infrastructure and capacity for STEM teacher preparation at the university includes merging advanced STEM content and teaching pedagogy in advanced STEM courses. Pilot summer internships, integrating research and education, are planned and implemented during the project period. The project fully utilizes university research groups to build a community network to mentor and support students while at the college or in the field. The uniqueness of this region adds to potential impact of the project. The region has 15 rural counties, with average family income well below the state average, as well as the large urban Dallas Metroplex area. Implementation of this capacity building model will be well-documented and can be replicated in other rural and urban settings, thereby expanding the impact beyond the targeted region.
