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Towards a Comprehensive Recruitment Strategy of STEM Professionals into K12 Teaching: Analyzing Data from Five Years of Marketing through Noyce Projects at Kennesaw State University Nancy Overley, MBA (Noyce Project Manager) Greg Rushton, Ph.D.(Noyce PI) Slide 2 Science teachers are in chronic, national demand There are few studies on science teacher recruitment programs and models in the literature Recruitment can be expensive, time-consuming (labor intensive), or both Devoloping scalable, sustainable recruitment models can inform local and national policymaking decisions (e.g., Race to the Top) Context of Study Slide 3 Is needed to help stakeholders, including science education faculty, conceptualize and plan to address this issue Should be robust to institutional and contextual challenges and opportunities Should be considered as another component to a science teacher preparation program A Scalable Replicable Model for Recruitment Slide 4 Most Noyce projects can attract some candidates Scaling up programs, especially in the physical sciences, is challenging Can we learn from recent local recruitment efforts at to inform the Noyce communitys understanding of how to approach recruitment in hopes of building a stronger pipeline into the profession? Context of Study (cont.) Slide 5 3 Noyce projects since 2007, $4.6M in funding 8 new (tenure-track) faculty lines in science education since 2004 (now 10 total, plus 15 in math ed) Assoc. Dean of STEM Education since 2006 2 full-time staff lines (2011, 2012) devoted to teacher recruitment Institutional Context Slide 6 KSU MAT-Science Candidates by Year 150 applicants since 2008; 115 accepted into MAT-Sci program Slide 7 Slide 8 Scaling is Possible http://uteach-institute.org/publications (accessed May 21, 2012). 60-80 STEM grads per year (average) Slide 9 Distribution of Majors at UT Austin, SP12 http://www.utexas.edu/academic/ima/sites/default/files/ME M_Enrollment_FA11_Final.pdfhttp://www.utexas.edu/academic/ima/sites/default/files/ME M_Enrollment_FA11_Final.pdf(accessed May 21, 2012). Slide 10 Distribution of STEM Majors in UTeach, SP12 http://uteach.utexas.edu/About/UTeach%20Program%20Data (accessed May 21, 2012). MathematicsBiologyChemistryPhysics 1881463722 Slide 11 Demographic Analysis I: Traditional vs. Career Changers Demographic Analysis I: Traditional vs. Career Changers Slide 12 Demographic Analysis II: Gender Demographics by Science Discipline Demographic Analysis II: Gender Demographics by Science Discipline Slide 13 Number of Students Graduating BS Programs are viable too: UG BioEd vs. UG ChemEd BS Programs are viable too: UG BioEd vs. UG ChemEd Slide 14 Labor Market Theory as a guiding framework for recruitment Professional identity differs across prospective teacher education candidates Messaging should be tailored to address desires, goals, fears, concerns and questions of each population Teacher preparation programs should be designed to optimize recruitment, preparation, and retention based on known characteristics of each population Recruitment Conclusions I: Differentiate for Distinct Populations Recruitment Conclusions I: Differentiate for Distinct Populations Slide 15 The basic principle driving the supply of teachers is the following: Individuals will become or remain teachers if teaching represents the most attractive activity to pursue among all activities available to them. By attractive, we mean desirable in terms of ease of entry and overall compensation (salary, benefits, working conditions, and personal satisfaction). These elements of attractiveness are the policy levers that can be used to bring supply in line with demand. Labor Market Theory Haggstrom, G., Darling-Hammond, L., & Grissmer, D. (1988). Assessing teacher supply and demand (R-3633-ED/CSTP). Santa Monica, CA: RAND. Slide 16 To meet demand, employers/policymakers are forced to: Lower standards to enter profession Retain poorly-performing teachers in the profession Recruit from populations outside of traditional programs None of these policies are conducive to a stable, high- performing K12 workforce Implications of STEM Teacher Shortage Slide 17 Population PipelineHow to Meet ThemSituated Experiences Anticipated Preservice Program Comments PRE - COLLEGE STUDENTS local K12 middle and high schools FEA; Summer Science Camps Science B.S./B.A. with teacher education major or minor Locate strong local K12 science education departments; target STEM academies and magnet programs EARLY - UNDERGRADUATE SCIENCE MAJORS introductory science classes Freshman learning communities; UTeach "Step I" type courses; PLTL/LA experiences Science B.S./B.A. with teacher education major or minor LATE - COLLEGE UNDERGRADUATE ( AND GRADUATE ) SCIENCE MAJORS academic advisors; content faculty; science major clubs; career fairs; upper- level science courses; upper-level elective college courses about science teaching and career options M.A.T./M.Ed. (or equivalent) should count as upper-level elective towards graduation requirements if possible EARLY - CAREER SCIENCE GRADUATES alumni associations; social media; professional organizations; university career services; recruitment agencies; tutoring/test preparation centers Graduate Teaching Assistantships; Outreach to local K12 schools; K12 science clubs, olympiads, bowls; science tutoring; substitute teaching M.A.T./M.Ed. (or equivalent) MID - TO LATE - CAREER SCIENCE PROFESSIONALS alumni associations; professional organizations; print media none (usually) needed; recruit directly into teacher preparation program M.A.T./M.Ed./University-Based Alt. Cert. Program must offer efficient and flexible route to teaching or else alternative preparation becomes preferred route Slide 18 Career Changers defined: STEM graduate with employment outside of K12 teaching after graduation A primary focus of Noyce II TF/MTF project (2011-2017) Case Study: Career change professionals Slide 19 Nancy Slides Start HERE Slide 20 Website was launched and recruitment campaign began September, 2011 Currently have 18 interested Teaching Fellow candidates: 8 males, 10 females 7 currently employed in engineering fields 3 currently unemployed from engineering fields 8 currently working or volunteering as a tutor, part-time or sub. teacher in their field, or another education/academic type position How they heard about the program: 9- organizational meeting, 2- KSU open house, 3- personal contact, 4- newspaper and online advertising Recruitment Efforts of 2 nd Career into Noyce II (Needs updating to include Spring 2012 data) Recruitment Efforts of 2 nd Career into Noyce II (Needs updating to include Spring 2012 data) Slide 21 Slide 22 - 34% of career changers started teaching between the ages of 33-42 and 29% of career changers started teaching at age 43 or over -46% of all career changers are age 35-49 and 37% are 50+ -47% of chemistry teachers are age 31-50 and 31% are 51+ -49% of physics teachers are age 31-50 and 28% are 51+ 1.Career Changers in the Classroom: A National Portrait, Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc., February 2010, Conducted on behalf of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation 2.Status of High School Chemistry Teaching, December 2002, Horizon Research, Inc., P. Sean Smith, Chapel Hill, N.C. 3.Status of High School Physics Teaching, December 2002, Horizon Research, Inc., P. Sean Smith, Chapel Hill, N.C. Slide 23 Career Changers in the Classroom: A National Portrait, Peter D Hart Research Associates, Inc., February 2010, conducted on behalf of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation Slide 24 Job and income stability- even in an economic downturn Teaching provides enhanced work-like balance and a family- friendly work environment Teachers have an opportunity to provide a service to the community Teachers have the opportunity to positively impact an adolescents future. Messaging to Career Changers Slide 25 Slide 26 Slide 27 Slide 28 Slide 29 Kennesaw State University College of Science and Mathematics Kennesaw State University College of Education Georgia Institute of Technology NSF-DUE Award # 0733830 NSF-DUE Award # 1035451 American Chemical Society Acknowledgements Slide 30 STOP HERE Ask for questions Slide 31 KSU: Target High School Students Offer campus visits Visit High Schools and Future Educator Clubs Local Master and Collaborating Teachers recruit for us GSU: Academy for Future Teachers (AFT) Rising Juniors and Seniors from Local High Schools Learn Science Content and Pedagogy Precollege Recruiting at KSU, GSU, GT Slide 32 KSU: Freshmen Learning Communities Student Groups (SAACS/NSTA) Early Education Experiences - Summer Science Camps Peer-led Team Learning (Chemistry) GSU: Freshmen Learning Communities GT: FEA club Pre-teaching Listserv (550 students) Early UG Science Majors Recruitment Slide 33 KSU: Recruit directly from upper-level major classes CHEM 3400: Teaching and Learning Chemistry NSF Noyce Scholarships GSU: FOCUS Course Major Matters Sessions NSF Noyce Scholarships GT: Principles of Learning & Teaching, parts I & II; Science Pedagogy; STEM Education Policy; Knowledge in K-12 Math Pre-teaching Director Late UG Science Majors Recruitment Slide 34 KSU/GT: NSF Noyce Track II ($3M, 2011-2016) Scalable, sustainable pipeline of 2 nd career professionals into chemistry, physics teaching Recruitment from: KSU, GT alumni Professional Societies (e.g. ACS, SWE, ASCE) Large STEM employers Employment/labor agencies Early Career STEM Professionals Recruitment