Alma College

Science and Engineering Practice-informed Research Experiences in Stem Settings for Preservice Secondary Science Teachers -this Noyce Research Experiences in Stem Settings (RESS) Project Aims to Serve the National Need of Preparing High-quality Science Teachers Who Will Convey the Excitement of Scientific Research to Students and Improve Their Stem Learning Experience. Summer Research Experiences Support Teachers? Science Teaching Efficacy and, Ultimately, Their Students' Learning. in This Project, Prospective Secondary Science Teachers Will Work as Active Members of Research Teams, Guided by Experienced Faculty Research Mentors, to Engage in Ten Weeks of Hands-on and Minds-on Summer Research. Participants Will Be Supported Through Regular Research Group Meetings, Seminars, and Opportunities to Attend and Potentially Present Their Research to Broader Audiences at a Disciplinary-relevant National-level Conference. Participants Will Be Further Supported to Translate Their Research Experiences Into Instructional Plans for Their Future Students Through Professional Development That Will Leverage the Ambitious Science Teaching Framework and the Science and Engineering Practices (SEPS) Included in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Collectively, These Project Experiences Have the Potential to Encourage and Prepare Prospective Secondary Science Teachers to Enact High-quality Science Instruction in Their Future Classrooms. This Project at Alma College Aims to Provide Authentic Summer Research Experiences for Three Cohorts of Eight Preservice Stem Teachers That Will Serve as a Foundation From Which They Will Create Learning Opportunities for Their Future Students. Project Goals Include: 1) Recruiting and Selecting Three Cohorts of Eight Preservice Stem Teachers From Diverse Backgrounds to Work in Research Teams With Four Science Faculty Mentors; 2) Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating Three Ten-week Summer Research Experiences; 3) Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating Professional Learning Opportunities, Focusing on the Seps in the NGSS; and 4) Supporting Participants in Translating Their Research Experiences Into Instructional Units That Are (a) Phenomenon-based and (B) Aligned With Relevant Performance Expectations in the NGSS. This Project Will Help Prepare High-quality Science Teachers Who Will Convey the Excitement of Scientific Research to Students and Improve Their Stem Learning Experience. Through Evaluation, the Project Will Generate Knowledge About the Impact of Research Experiences and Sep-informed Professional Development on Prospective Science Teachers. This Research Experiences in Stem Settings (RESS) Project Is Supported Through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (NOYCE) and in Part by Funds From Micron Foundation. the Noyce Program Supports Talented Stem Undergraduate Majors and Professionals to Become Effective K-12 Stem Teachers and Experienced, Exemplary K-12 Teachers to Become Stem Master Teachers in High-need School Districts. It Also Supports Research on the Effectiveness and Retention of K-12 Stem Teachers in High-need School Districts. This Award Reflects NSF'S Statutory Mission and Has Been Deemed Worthy of Support Through Evaluation Using the Foundation's Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts Review Criteria.- Subawards Are Not Planned for This Award.