Enhancing North Carolina’s Math & Enhancing North Carolina’s Math & Science Teacher-Preparation Science Teacher-Preparation

ProgramsPrograms

Identifying Long-Term Goals and theIdentifying Long-Term Goals and theRole of Universities within the UNC Role of Universities within the UNC

SystemSystem

Solomon Bililign & Chuck Solomon Bililign & Chuck StoneStone

North Carolina A&T State UniversityNorth Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro, North CarolinaGreensboro, North Carolina

North Carolina’s Public North Carolina’s Public SchoolsSchools

Need 10,000 new teachers every Need 10,000 new teachers every yearyear

NC public and private colleges only NC public and private colleges only produce about 3,300 traditionally produce about 3,300 traditionally trained teachers each yeartrained teachers each year

Others enter the profession Others enter the profession through alternative training through alternative training programsprograms

Why the Shortage?Why the Shortage?

RetirementsRetirements School growthSchool growth Class-size reductionsClass-size reductions Teachers leaving the professionTeachers leaving the profession

The Result?The Result?

NC hiresNC hires

HALFHALF

of its new teachers fromof its new teachers from

OUTSIDEOUTSIDE

the state!the state!

Appalling Statistics Appalling Statistics

In the past 4 years, the 16-campusIn the past 4 years, the 16-campus

UNC System has produced a total of UNC System has produced a total of

3 physics teachers3 physics teachers 15 of these campuses have teacher-15 of these campuses have teacher-

preparation programspreparation programs Several have nationally-recognized Several have nationally-recognized

math and science departmentsmath and science departments

16-Campus UNC System16-Campus UNC System Appalachian State UniversityAppalachian State University East Carolina UniversityEast Carolina University Elizabeth City State Elizabeth City State

UniversityUniversity Fayetteville State UniversityFayetteville State University NC A&T State UniversityNC A&T State University NC Central UniversityNC Central University NC School of the ArtsNC School of the Arts NC State UniversityNC State University

UNC-AshevilleUNC-Asheville UNC-Chapel HillUNC-Chapel Hill UNC-CharlotteUNC-Charlotte UNC-GreensboroUNC-Greensboro UNC-PembrokeUNC-Pembroke UNC-WilmingtonUNC-Wilmington Western Carolina UniversityWestern Carolina University Winston-Salem State Winston-Salem State

UniversityUniversity

Nationally Recognized Schools of EducationNationally Recognized Schools of Education

2006 Media Reports2006 Media Reports

Several universities are in a rush to Several universities are in a rush to “manufacture” more teachers“manufacture” more teachers

Fill the market in a short period of Fill the market in a short period of timetime

Little regard to product qualityLittle regard to product quality

A&T’s “FAST TRACK” A&T’s “FAST TRACK” ProgramProgram

School of Education initiative devised May 2006School of Education initiative devised May 2006 5-week program, June 29 - August 45-week program, June 29 - August 4 Participants meet Monday thru Thursday, 12-6 Participants meet Monday thru Thursday, 12-6

pm, completing 15 credit hourspm, completing 15 credit hours A transition-to-teaching tailored for individuals A transition-to-teaching tailored for individuals

who earned UG degrees (18+ credits) in math who earned UG degrees (18+ credits) in math or scienceor science

GOAL: To prepare participants to begin teaching GOAL: To prepare participants to begin teaching math or science in NC secondary schools by math or science in NC secondary schools by

August 2006August 2006  

A&T’s “FAST TRACK” A&T’s “FAST TRACK” ProgramProgram

NO INPUT from math or science faculty!NO INPUT from math or science faculty!

A short-sighted approach to a long-term challengeA short-sighted approach to a long-term challenge Little or no focus on math or science pedagogiesLittle or no focus on math or science pedagogies Does not address discipline-specific curricular Does not address discipline-specific curricular

mattersmatters Activity-based instructionActivity-based instruction Calculator and computer useCalculator and computer use Durable & non-durable suppliesDurable & non-durable supplies Effective lecture styles & techniques Effective lecture styles & techniques Lab issues (management, oversight, and safety)Lab issues (management, oversight, and safety) The list goes on and on …The list goes on and on …

At Many Institutions …At Many Institutions …

We have fallen behind in responding to We have fallen behind in responding to our teacher-preparation needsour teacher-preparation needs

We have insisted on maintaining We have insisted on maintaining traditional university structures that traditional university structures that have separated pedagogy from the have separated pedagogy from the contentcontent

Science Departments & Schools of Science Departments & Schools of Education have done research in Education have done research in science education science education independentlyindependently

Physics Educators Must Physics Educators Must LeadLead

Long-term solutionsLong-term solutions will ultimately meet will ultimately meetour short-term teacher needsour short-term teacher needs

Attract more students into teachingAttract more students into teaching Provide more student-teaching scholarshipsProvide more student-teaching scholarships Improve teacher-preparation programsImprove teacher-preparation programs Encourage math & science majors to consider Encourage math & science majors to consider

getting their teaching credentials so that getting their teaching credentials so that teaching becomes an immediate career option teaching becomes an immediate career option when they graduate or decide to change jobswhen they graduate or decide to change jobs

Vision and PlanningVision and Planning UNC System must strengthen and support low-enrollment UNC System must strengthen and support low-enrollment

programs that provide core courses for future teachersprograms that provide core courses for future teachers

University programs should be judged in terms of their University programs should be judged in terms of their impact on both state and national initiativesimpact on both state and national initiatives

Faculty/staff resources must be designated and tailored to Faculty/staff resources must be designated and tailored to meet teacher-preparation goalsmeet teacher-preparation goals

Universities must become more active with both on- and off-Universities must become more active with both on- and off-campus recruiting efforts to excite students about higher campus recruiting efforts to excite students about higher education in general and teaching in particulareducation in general and teaching in particular

In the areas of math and science, demonstration shows and In the areas of math and science, demonstration shows and educational outreach programs provide two unique vehicles educational outreach programs provide two unique vehicles for promoting our needsfor promoting our needs

Questions We Must Questions We Must AnswerAnswer

How does the quality of NC’s STEM How does the quality of NC’s STEM programs relate to the state’s programs relate to the state’s economy, quality-of-life, and social economy, quality-of-life, and social structures?structures?

Questions We Must Questions We Must AnswerAnswer

What programs have NC What programs have NC Universities initiated, developed, or Universities initiated, developed, or adopted during the past four years adopted during the past four years to increase the number of to increase the number of secondary school math and secondary school math and science teachers?science teachers?

Questions We Must Questions We Must AnswerAnswer

What types of partnerships, What types of partnerships, programs, or best practices have programs, or best practices have been established to encourage NC been established to encourage NC students to pursue careers in students to pursue careers in science education?science education?

Questions We Must Questions We Must AnswerAnswer

What barriers discourage students What barriers discourage students from pursuing math and science from pursuing math and science careers, and how can Universities careers, and how can Universities help students overcome these help students overcome these obstacles?obstacles?

Questions We Must Questions We Must AnswerAnswer

How can Universities help existing How can Universities help existing certified teachers obtain advanced certified teachers obtain advanced degrees, or become certified in degrees, or become certified in other subject areas?other subject areas?

Questions We Must Questions We Must AnswerAnswer

What alternative programs has NC What alternative programs has NC considered in an effort to increase considered in an effort to increase the number of certified math and the number of certified math and science teachers?science teachers?

First Steps for North First Steps for North CarolinaCarolina

Develop a strong collaborative Develop a strong collaborative interaction between Science interaction between Science Departments and Schools of Education at Departments and Schools of Education at each of the UNC System campuseseach of the UNC System campuses

Develop strategies to specifically address Develop strategies to specifically address the shortage of qualified science teachersthe shortage of qualified science teachers

Develop structures that will help each Develop structures that will help each party accomplish its individual and party accomplish its individual and common goalscommon goals

First Steps for North First Steps for North CarolinaCarolina

Statewide, math & science faculty need toStatewide, math & science faculty need to

Enhance curriculumEnhance curriculum Incorporate advances in pedagogyIncorporate advances in pedagogy Design and deliver outreach programsDesign and deliver outreach programs Develop research interests in math and science educationDevelop research interests in math and science education Adopt teaching strategies that nurture math & science Adopt teaching strategies that nurture math & science

teachersteachers Embrace community service projects that promote Embrace community service projects that promote

math/science teacher educationmath/science teacher education Initiate and direct collaboration with Initiate and direct collaboration with

state legislatorsstate legislators members of the UNC General Assemblymembers of the UNC General Assembly other faculty and staff within the 16-campus UNC System to other faculty and staff within the 16-campus UNC System to

develop long-term plans that address NC’s teacher shortagedevelop long-term plans that address NC’s teacher shortage

First Steps for A&TFirst Steps for A&T Get university support to oversee necessary changes in Get university support to oversee necessary changes in

course development, delivery, and evaluationcourse development, delivery, and evaluation

As an HBCU, nurture and support African-American and As an HBCU, nurture and support African-American and other underrepresented minority students to pursue other underrepresented minority students to pursue degrees in math or science teacher educationdegrees in math or science teacher education

Increasing the number of well-trained, highly qualified Increasing the number of well-trained, highly qualified math & science teachers, especially those with minority math & science teachers, especially those with minority backgrounds, will provide many of our state’s rural, backgrounds, will provide many of our state’s rural, suburban, and urban schools with a rich source of suburban, and urban schools with a rich source of teachers that can serve as positive role models and teachers that can serve as positive role models and mentors in today’s diverse classroom settingsmentors in today’s diverse classroom settings

Math and Science Teacher Education Math and Science Teacher Education InstituteInstitute

It will be important for statewide math and It will be important for statewide math and science teacher preparation programs to stay science teacher preparation programs to stay up-to-date in all aspects of its services.up-to-date in all aspects of its services.

To coordinate the basic tenets and special To coordinate the basic tenets and special needs of these math and science disciplines, needs of these math and science disciplines, North Carolina A&T would like to develop a North Carolina A&T would like to develop a

Math and Science Teacher Education InstituteMath and Science Teacher Education Institute

that will bring content and pedagogy that will bring content and pedagogy together under one roof for the entire UNC together under one roof for the entire UNC System.System.

Math and Science Teacher Education Math and Science Teacher Education InstituteInstitute

Statewide group, consisting of Statewide group, consisting of University math, science, and education facultyUniversity math, science, and education faculty Secondary School teachers, principals, guidance counselors, and Secondary School teachers, principals, guidance counselors, and

math/science specialistsmath/science specialists

Develop a career outreach program that actively encourages Develop a career outreach program that actively encourages high school students, both locally and across the state, to high school students, both locally and across the state, to consider future careers as math and science teachersconsider future careers as math and science teachers

Develop a student-centered, hands-on, inquiry-based Develop a student-centered, hands-on, inquiry-based approach to learning math and scienceapproach to learning math and science

Will serve as a guiding light that encourages faculty to Will serve as a guiding light that encourages faculty to develop pedagogical tools and methods courses appropriate develop pedagogical tools and methods courses appropriate for each discipline that can be easily used anywhere across for each discipline that can be easily used anywhere across the statethe state

Will use assessment and evaluation techniques extensively Will use assessment and evaluation techniques extensively

Goals and TimelinesGoals and Timelines Immediate:Immediate: Appoint or hire faculty with interests and Appoint or hire faculty with interests and

abilities in Science Educationabilities in Science Education

Short-Term:Short-Term: Work with the UNC System to encourage Work with the UNC System to encourage the State of North Carolina to develop a scholarship / the State of North Carolina to develop a scholarship / teaching program that will attract students to careers as teaching program that will attract students to careers as math or science teachersmath or science teachers

Mid-Term:Mid-Term: Actively recruit African-American and other Actively recruit African-American and other underrepresented minority students to pursue degrees underrepresented minority students to pursue degrees in math or science teacher educationin math or science teacher education

Long-Term:Long-Term: Design a suite of math and science Design a suite of math and science resources that can be provided to teachers and their resources that can be provided to teachers and their classrooms in lower-income schools across the stateclassrooms in lower-income schools across the state

Thank You!Thank You!

Solomon Bililign & Chuck Solomon Bililign & Chuck StoneStone

North Carolina A&T State UniversityNorth Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro, North CarolinaGreensboro, North Carolina