S.T.E.P. thru S.T.E.M. ProgramS.T.E.P. thru S.T.E.M. Program

Secondary Teacher Education PreparationSecondary Teacher Education Preparation

thru thru Science, Technology, Engineering and MathematicsScience, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

A COMMUNITY OF SCHOLARS AT WORKA COMMUNITY OF SCHOLARS AT WORK

Peter Sheppard, Ph.D.Peter Sheppard, Ph.D.Coordinator, STEP thru STEMCoordinator, STEP thru STEM

pshepp@lsu.edupshepp@lsu.edu

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S.T.E.P. thru S.T.E.M.S.T.E.P. thru S.T.E.M.•

In response to the critical shortage of In response to the critical shortage of qualified STEM teachers, LSU faculty from qualified STEM teachers, LSU faculty from math, the sciences, and education math, the sciences, and education collaborated to create a unique 4-year collaborated to create a unique 4-year undergraduate program that allows undergraduate program that allows participants to obtain both a bachelor’s participants to obtain both a bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline as well as degree in a STEM discipline as well as complete all the necessary secondary complete all the necessary secondary teacher certification requirements. teacher certification requirements.

• This program, now referred to as This program, now referred to as S.T.E.P. S.T.E.P. thru S.T.E.M.,thru S.T.E.M., represents unprecedented represents unprecedented collaboration among STEM faculty, collaboration among STEM faculty, education faculty and East Baton Rouge education faculty and East Baton Rouge Parish School System, among others. Parish School System, among others.

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Program Goal Program Goal

• GoalGoal– Produce 80 “highly qualified” graduates Produce 80 “highly qualified” graduates

with teacher certification in a STEM with teacher certification in a STEM content area.content area.

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Program ObjectivesProgram Objectives• ObjectivesObjectives

– Recruit and retain students for the new program;Recruit and retain students for the new program;– Provide scholarships for students;Provide scholarships for students;– Enhance communication among university and Enhance communication among university and

school personnel involved in designing, teaching school personnel involved in designing, teaching and operating the program as well as teachers and operating the program as well as teachers and students impacted by the programand students impacted by the program

– Recruit, train and support mentor teachers.Recruit, train and support mentor teachers.– Develop and implement a permanent evaluation Develop and implement a permanent evaluation

system for the program;system for the program;– Train an "induction specialist" whose Train an "induction specialist" whose

responsibilities will be to monitor and solve responsibilities will be to monitor and solve problems for graduates during their first two problems for graduates during their first two years.years.

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What Makes STEP thru What Makes STEP thru STEM Unique for Students?STEM Unique for Students?• Students earn degrees in Math or a Science Students earn degrees in Math or a Science

Field and earn certification with secondary Field and earn certification with secondary ed. concentration within 128 hours.ed. concentration within 128 hours.

• Students visit high school classrooms in 1Students visit high school classrooms in 1stst SEM. of junior year for field experiences.SEM. of junior year for field experiences.

• Students are under the guidance of Students are under the guidance of accomplished mentor teachers. accomplished mentor teachers.

• Students can be offered teacher certification Students can be offered teacher certification as secondary career option.as secondary career option.

• Scholarship OpportunitiesScholarship Opportunities

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Course RequirementsCourse Requirements

• The first course, EDCI 2001, can also be used The first course, EDCI 2001, can also be used as a general education social science elective.as a general education social science elective.

• This three credit hour course is an introduction This three credit hour course is an introduction to contemporary educational issues, especially to contemporary educational issues, especially as these are situated historically, culturally, as these are situated historically, culturally, socially, and politically; topics include history, socially, and politically; topics include history, theory, and politics of education, especially as theory, and politics of education, especially as related to gender, race, class, and technology. related to gender, race, class, and technology.

• This course is ideally taken in the 2This course is ideally taken in the 2ndnd semester semester of student’s sophomore year.of student’s sophomore year.

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Course RequirementsCourse Requirements• EDCI 3001EDCI 3001 BIOL 3001BIOL 3001

• EDCI 3002EDCI 3002 BIOL 3002BIOL 3002

• EDCI 4003EDCI 4003 BIOL 4003BIOL 4003

EDCI 4005 (Student Teaching)EDCI 4005 (Student Teaching)

• EDCI 4004EDCI 4004 BIOL 4004BIOL 4004

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Robert Robert NoyceNoyce

$7,500$7,500

STEM-TPSTEM-TP

$500$500Total Total NumberNumber

Spring Spring 20042004

(apply Fall (apply Fall ’03)’03)

SixSix TenTen 1616

Fall ’04Fall ’04

(apply Spring (apply Spring ’04)’04)

SixSix FortyForty 4646

Fall ’05Fall ’05

(apply Spring (apply Spring ’05)’05)

SixSix Forty-Forty-EightEight

5454

Fall ’06 Fall ’06

(apply Spring (apply Spring ’06)’06)

SixSix Sixty-Sixty-FourFour

7070

STEP thru STEM

Scholarship Awards thru 2006

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What Makes STEP thru What Makes STEP thru STEM Unique for Mentor STEM Unique for Mentor

Teachers ?Teachers ?• Mentor Teachers are recruited based Mentor Teachers are recruited based

on their ability to embrace reform on their ability to embrace reform based teaching.based teaching.

• Mentor Teachers are compensated for Mentor Teachers are compensated for hosting early field experiences.hosting early field experiences.

• Mentor Teachers engage in the process Mentor Teachers engage in the process of designing field experiences.of designing field experiences.

• Lead Mentor Teachers train and recruit Lead Mentor Teachers train and recruit future mentor teachers. future mentor teachers.

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Mentor TeachersMentor Teachers• Mentor teachers are Mentor teachers are

expected to be model expected to be model educators, facilitators, educators, facilitators, content specialist, and content specialist, and critical friends to our pre-critical friends to our pre-service teachers. service teachers.

• Mentor teacher have an Mentor teacher have an increased responsibility in increased responsibility in the preparation and training the preparation and training of pre-service teachers of pre-service teachers because of the field-intensive because of the field-intensive design of this program.design of this program.

• Seven Lead Mentors are Seven Lead Mentors are currently in the program; currently in the program; eventually an additional 44 eventually an additional 44 cooperating mentor teachers cooperating mentor teachers will be hired.will be hired.

YearYear NewNew RetainRetaineded

TotaTotall

2003-2003-0404 77 00 77

2004-2004-0505 1212 77 1919

2005-2005-0606 2222 1616 3838

2006-2006-0707 1212 3333 4545

2007-2007-0808 1414 3737 5151

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What Makes S.T.E.P. thru What Makes S.T.E.P. thru S.T.E.M. Unique for the S.T.E.M. Unique for the

University?University?• Faculty from Education, Math, Faculty from Education, Math,

Chemistry, Physics, and Biological Chemistry, Physics, and Biological Sciences take responsibility in training Sciences take responsibility in training future teachers.future teachers.

• Faculty in math and science departments Faculty in math and science departments interact with high school science and interact with high school science and mathematics teachers.mathematics teachers.

• Low faculty to student ratio in 1 hour Low faculty to student ratio in 1 hour subject matter seminars (a.k.a. STEP subject matter seminars (a.k.a. STEP Courses).Courses).

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On Campus RecruitingOn Campus Recruiting

• Target Audience: Future Educators Target Audience: Future Educators and Traditional Math, Biology, and Traditional Math, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics Majors.Chemistry, and Physics Majors.

• Identify and Isolate Core Courses in Identify and Isolate Core Courses in math and science fields-specifically math and science fields-specifically sophomore level courses.sophomore level courses.

• Presentations/Brief SurveyPresentations/Brief Survey– Data Collection through Self Reported Data Collection through Self Reported

Survey Responses.Survey Responses.

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Recruiting Recruiting

• Sophomore Level STEM Courses are our Sophomore Level STEM Courses are our target courses.target courses.– Faculty of these courses are contacted in Faculty of these courses are contacted in

order to obtain endorsement to present order to obtain endorsement to present information to their students.information to their students.

– Brief presentations are made to the classes, Brief presentations are made to the classes, highlighting the major features of the programhighlighting the major features of the program

– Surveys are distributed in order to obtain self-Surveys are distributed in order to obtain self-reported demographic information and reported demographic information and general interest in the program.general interest in the program.

– Gathered data leads to follow-up contact with Gathered data leads to follow-up contact with all interested students. all interested students.

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Student ReflectionsStudent Reflections• ““I wanted to be a teacher but my parents wanted me I wanted to be a teacher but my parents wanted me

to get a “real” degree that I could do something with to get a “real” degree that I could do something with if I decided not to teach later in life. This was the if I decided not to teach later in life. This was the perfect solution to the problem.” perfect solution to the problem.”

• ““My first semester in this program, I was assigned to My first semester in this program, I was assigned to an inner-city middle school. My first day, I thought an inner-city middle school. My first day, I thought “It’s going to be a long semester.” Now, after “It’s going to be a long semester.” Now, after completing the semester, I think I would rather a completing the semester, I think I would rather a middle school.” middle school.”

• ““I thought going out to the different high schools I thought going out to the different high schools around the parish was great. It provided me with “on-around the parish was great. It provided me with “on-the-job training” with a safety net. I was able to the-job training” with a safety net. I was able to observe different teaching methods and the ways in observe different teaching methods and the ways in which teachers handled disruptive students. Then, I which teachers handled disruptive students. Then, I was able to discuss my feelings with the teacher was able to discuss my feelings with the teacher which was a big plus which was a big plus

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Reflections from Mentor Reflections from Mentor TeachersTeachers

• ““I think of a teacher-candidate as an apprentice. If I I think of a teacher-candidate as an apprentice. If I were an apprentice I would want to work with the were an apprentice I would want to work with the best, I would not want to work with someone who is best, I would not want to work with someone who is below average. People who are interested in sports below average. People who are interested in sports like to observe, learn, and admire the best athletes; like to observe, learn, and admire the best athletes; they certainly do not try to imitate the mediocre they certainly do not try to imitate the mediocre ones. I want to model myself as after the best.”ones. I want to model myself as after the best.”

• ““It is also important that they see things from a It is also important that they see things from a teaching perspective because they are so used to teaching perspective because they are so used to seeing from a student perspective. As a student you seeing from a student perspective. As a student you do not really think of all things and ways a teacher do not really think of all things and ways a teacher tries to get all of the students to learn. You mostly tries to get all of the students to learn. You mostly concentrate on how you learn. It allows them to get concentrate on how you learn. It allows them to get a bigger picture from the teacher’s perspective.”a bigger picture from the teacher’s perspective.”

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Points of PridePoints of Pride• The Secondary Education Concentration is the largest concentration among The Secondary Education Concentration is the largest concentration among

Mathematics Majors.Mathematics Majors.• We currently have ninety-seven science and mathematics majors enrolled in We currently have ninety-seven science and mathematics majors enrolled in

the secondary education concentration. That is more enrollees than the the secondary education concentration. That is more enrollees than the UTEACH (UT-Austin) program had at this stage in its development.UTEACH (UT-Austin) program had at this stage in its development.

• The average ACT score for the science and mathematics students pursuing The average ACT score for the science and mathematics students pursuing the secondary education concentration is 25.02 which is higher than the the secondary education concentration is 25.02 which is higher than the university average for enrolled students which is 24.0. university average for enrolled students which is 24.0.

• Among our cadre of outstanding students are:Among our cadre of outstanding students are:– A mathematics major who became a University Medalist for maintaining A mathematics major who became a University Medalist for maintaining

a 4.0 his entire career.a 4.0 his entire career.– A biological sciences major who completed the program and was A biological sciences major who completed the program and was

accepted into medical school.accepted into medical school.– A biological sciences major who scored a perfect score of 36 on the ACT.A biological sciences major who scored a perfect score of 36 on the ACT.– At least two students earned the ETS Recognition of Excellence award for At least two students earned the ETS Recognition of Excellence award for

scoring among the top 15% of students nationwide taking the Praxis II scoring among the top 15% of students nationwide taking the Praxis II subject matter and Pedagogy segment of the exam. subject matter and Pedagogy segment of the exam.

– A biological sciences majors received the College of Basic Sciences A biological sciences majors received the College of Basic Sciences Outstanding Sophomore Student Award . Outstanding Sophomore Student Award .

– A mathematics major received a summer internship with the Chicago A mathematics major received a summer internship with the Chicago Public Schools.Public Schools.