Strategic Recruitment Strategies to Attract Students into Chemistry and Physics Education Michelle L. Dean, Gregory Rushton, David Rosengrant & Brett Criswell The Need It has been echoed for numerous years that the nation needs STEM teachers who: • Are competent in the subject area • Offer quality education to their students by utilizing best practices • Will persist in the field Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Engineering. Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2007. National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine. Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited: Rapidly Approaching Category 5. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2010. Landers, E. S., & Gates, Jr. S. J. (2010). Prepare and Inspire, 330 (6001), 151. White House Office of the Press Secretary (2012) President Obama announces plans for a new national corps to recognize and reward leading educators in science, technology, engineering and math. (Accessed Sept. 2014) Responses to the National Need • Development of alternative certification routes • Restructuring current education programs to draw students in (UTeach, PhysTec, Woodrow Wilson Fellows) • Incentives to pursue degrees in STEM education programs (Noyce, WWF, private scholarships, etc.) KSU Production of UG Biology & Chemistry Teachers 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Biology Chemistry Labor Market Theory • 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. • Making the career attractive and desirable –ease of entry and overall compensation (salary, benefits, working conditions, and personal satisfaction). • Utilize these elements as leverage to bring supply in line with demand. Haggstrom, G., Darling‐Hammond, L., & Grissmer, D. (1988). Assessing teacher supply and demand (R‐3633‐ED/CSTP). Santa Monica, CA: RAND. Elements of a Comprehensive and Strategic Recruitment Plan Philosophy Philosophical connections between the the situated learning experience and the teacher preparation program Purposeful Experiences Experiences that are designed to build on each other over time Situated Experiences Attention is given to prior experiences and utilizes these in the recruitment plan Luft, J. A.; Wong, S. S.; Semken, S. Rethinking Recruitment: The comprehensive and strategic recruitment of secondary science teachers. J. Sci. Teacher Educ. (2011). 22, 459‐474. Our Role Quality content preparation Quality teacher preparation Teachers who serve as role models Context for Recruitment at KSU • Third largest GA public institution • Primarily undergraduate institution with nearly 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students • An offering of 89 degree programs‐ bachelors (52), masters (29) and doctoral (8) • Within the top 2 producers of teachers in the state of GA • The largest producer of chemistry and physics teachers in GA Preparation Strategies: Multiple Pathways • BS Chemistry, Chem. Ed. Track – Earn chemistry degree and certification – 24 hours of upper level chemistry; 33 hours of education & chemistry education – For “early deciders” • Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Chemistry – Earn Masters Degree and certification within 1‐1.5 yrs – Enroll in education, chemistry education courses & needed foundation courses – For recent graduates, career changers & current teachers Chemistry & Physics Teacher Production nd MAT‐Sci Hired 3rd Awarded 2 NSF Noyce th program Chem Ed & Hire 4 Chem. Ed. 10 rd approved Faculty Faculty Awarded 3 9 NSF Noyce 8 Awarded 1st 7 NSF Noyce 6 Hired 2nd Hired 1st 5 Chem. Ed. Chem. Ed. Faculty 4 Faculty 3 2 1 0 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 BS Chemistry MAT Chemistry MAT Physics Noyce Programs at KSU Previous Noyce Programs Noyce I Chemistry and Physics • A partnership between KSU and GA Tech • Recruitment of undergraduates to complete their senior year and enter the MAT Chemistry or Physics program at KSU • Offered $10,000/year Noyce Programs at KSU Current Programs I‐IMPACT • Noyce II project that recruits teaching fellows (TFs) and master teaching fellows (MTFs) • This program focuses on teacher leadership as a function of retention of quality teachers • Each is offered $10,000/year for participation in the 5‐year program I‐IMPACT Teaching Fellows (TFs) Master Teaching Fellows (MTFs) • 16 current Chemistry or Physics • 16 STEM career changers recruited teachers from 5metro‐Atlanta school into MAT Chemistry or Physics program systems • Selected through an application and • Selected through a multistep process interview process • Support for 5 years – beginning once • Support for 5 years – including they enroll in the MAT program at support for content, pedagogy and to KSU and during the first 4 years of earn an endorsement in educational their career leadership Noyce Programs at KSU Current Programs Noyce‐CPU • Noyce I project that recruits high school and undergraduates into chemistry and physics education degree tracks at KSU • This program focuses on the construction of a pipeline that leads towards graduation with teaching certification in chemistry or physics • 25 Noyce scholars are offered $13,500/year during their least two years of the degree program. Noyce Programs at KSU Service Learning in Chemistry and Physics KeCoPA ISLAND Summer Camp Open to all undergrads Noyce‐CPU Scholarship to learn the foundations of chemistry and physics Designed to recruit 8 HS education and allow and 16 KSU students to them to engage in offer them teaching Designed to support 25 outreach activities with experience in a low students in the last two partner middle schools. stakes and supportive years of the chemistry environment and physics education degree track. Population Pipeline How to Meet Them Anticipated Pre‐service Program Comments Locate strong local K12 science education Local K‐12 middle and Science B.S. with teacher Pre‐college students departments; target high schools education degree track STEM academies and magnet programs introductory science Early‐undergraduate Science B.S. with teacher This may include classes & foundation science majors education degree track visiting 2‐year colleges science education courses academic advisors; should count as upper‐ Late‐college content faculty; science level elective towards undergraduate (and major clubs; career fairs; M.A.T./M.Ed. (or equivalent) graduation graduate) science majors upper‐level science requirements if courses; possible alumni associations; social media; professional organizations; university Early‐career science career services; M.A.T./M.Ed. (or equivalent) graduates recruitment agencies; tutoring/test preparation centers must offer efficient and flexible route to alumni associations; Mid‐ to late‐career science M.A.T./M.Ed./University‐Based teaching or else professional professionals Alt. Cert. Program alternative preparation organizations; print media becomes preferred route Phases of Recruitment 1. Planting the seed 2. Nurturing the idea Evaluating the Needs of Recruitment Populations Population Pipeline Greatest Needs to Decide Strong role models Pre‐college students Teaching experiences Early‐undergraduate science majors Teaching experiences Late‐college undergraduate (and graduate) Advisement in weighing career choices science majors Teaching experiences Advisement in weighing career choices Early‐career science graduates Aide to bridge the gap between the two careers Advisement in weighing career choices Mid‐ to late‐career science professionals Aide to bridge the gap between the two careers Strategic Recruitment Strategies Population Pipeline Planting the Seed Nurturing the Idea Visit local schools to do outreach to science Pre‐college students or FEA classes Engage as a summer camp leader Encouragement of their teachers Visit lower‐level content courses at KSU Engage as a summer camp leader Early‐undergraduate and 2‐yr colleges Science Education Foundations Course science majors Post information in school newspaper, Peer‐led Team Learning electronic signs, etc. Email targeted groups Student outreach groups (SAACS/NSTA) Peer‐led Team Learning Late‐college Visit upper‐level major classes Student outreach groups (SAACS/NSTA) undergraduate (and CHEM 3400 –Teaching and learning of Follow through with individual advisement graduate) science majors Chemistry meetings Spread the word through list‐servs, Graduate Teaching Assistantships; Early‐career science newsletteers, etc. put out by groups that Outreach to local K12 schools; K12 science graduates target this audience (GT and KSU alumni, clubs, olympiads, bowls; science tutoring; ACS, large STEM employers, labor agencies)substitute teaching Spread the word through list‐servs, Mid‐ to late‐career newsletteers, etc. put out by groups that Follow through with individual advisement science professionals target this audience (GT and KSU alumni, meetings ACS, large STEM employers, labor agencies) Marketing Message B.S. Chemistry and Physics • Earn a B.S. Chemistry or Physics degree and also be certified to teach • Able to complete the degree in 4 years • Discipline specific education preparation courses • Year‐long student teaching experience co‐teaching model • Strong community‐based mentoring • Show them the numbers • 100 % job placement • Comparable salary to the median salary