Education Commons^™

The Privilege Of Low Pay: Informal Educators’ Perspectives On Workforce Equity And Diversity, K. Ren Rende, K. Fromson, M. G. Jones, M. Ennes

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Despite attempts to diversify the informal science education workforce, institutions like museums, zoos, and aquariums continue to be places of privilege where few can afford to make education a life-long career. This exploratory study examined informal science educators’ perspectives on workforce equity, diversity, and professionalization. Through a nationwide survey and selective interviews, educators (n = 132) were asked about their career motivations and personal and professional challenges faced before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results show that 59% of informal science educators surveyed were considering academic or career changes, citing workplace practices and cultures that perpetuate overwork and underpay …

Cariño Pedagogy: A Framework Of Corazón, Ferial Pearson, Sandra Rodriguez-Arroyo, Gabriel Gutiérrez

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

Change in the world of education has never been new or unexpected. However, the pandemic that swept the world at the beginning of 2020 caused our world to spin off its axis and force its practitioners into quickly re-evaluating their praxis, their priorities, and their professional responsibilities. Through this reflection, three BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) colleagues in the Teacher Education Department at a midwestern state university examine twelve months of teaching during the pandemic and the strategies they turned to, to stay true to their pedagogical values to ensure their students were taken care of personally and …

The Covid-19 Impact On Induction Support, Christina L. Wilcoxen

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

For beginning teachers, Fall 2020 provided an unforgettable first year. The previous spring had brought abrupt and unexpected changes to teaching. Schools closed without notice, student teaching experiences stopped midway through, and teachers were thrown into situations they had never been trained to address. This led to difficult decisions and new obstacles as the world fought to manage COVID-19 and the associated fallout. Teacher candidates graduated with incomplete student teaching experiences and gaps in understanding. Induction programs support beginning teachers as they transition into their own classroom and provide guidance in meeting performance standards. As a result, seven local school …

Adapting To Covid-19: Exploring The Relationship Between Integrating Microteaches During Field Experiences And Pre-Service Teachers' Self-Efficacy, Paula M. Jakopovic, Jennifer L. Lemke, Tracie Reding, Sheryl Mcglamery

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

The COVID-19 pandemic has had major impacts on PK-16 education in the United States. In- person teaching and learning opportunities have been disrupted and as a result, schools and institutions of higher education (IHE) have resorted to creative solutions to adjust and adapt to remote learning and social distancing. In particular, teacher preparation programs have wrestled with the limitations put in place by IHE as well as PK-12 school districts while trying to maintain high quality field experiences for pre-service teachers. In this action research report, we examine the implementation of a hybrid field experience model in a teacher preparation …

Salient Experiences In Student Development: Impact Of An Undergraduate Stem Teacher Preparation Program, Amie Sommers, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Paula M. Jakopovic, Julio Rivera, Neal Grandgenett, John A. Conrad, William Tapprich, Christine Cutucache

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

The need for a comprehensive, high-quality pipeline for the development of undergraduate pre-service teachers, especially those that represent a diverse student body, within STEM disciplines is acute. Here, we studied the Noyce SCIENCE program to determine the most impactful experiences offered to undergraduates through the lens of student development theory. We used qualitative coding to analyze data collected from journals written by students of varying backgrounds, and at varying levels within the program (i.e., the Scholar and Intern level) over a 3-year program running period. We observed that faculty mentorship, the ability of undergraduates to mentor others, volunteer experiences, and …

Supporting Teaching And Learning Reform In College Mathematics: Finding Value In Communities Of Practice, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Paula M. Jakopovic, Christine Von Renesse

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Improving college STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) student learning outcomes is an ongoing area of focus in Institutions of Higher Education (IHE). This reform includes challenging, changing, and adapting both teaching practices and the learning environment. Communities of practice (CoPs) can support faculty in making these shifts; however, creating large-scale instructional changes in STEM education requires a more careful look at the existing systems and structures in place. In this paper, we investigate a network of regional CoPs composed mainly of mathematics faculty from IHE focused on teaching with inquiry methods. Understanding what faculty need and value to support their …

Synergies: University-Museum Collaborations, K. Ren Rende, Stephanie Teeter, Lewis Owen

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

The purpose of this report is to provide documentation of the University-Museums Synergies Initiative between a Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences and a Museum of Natural Sciences. The goals of this initiative were to 1)identify specific projects and opportunities might be developed to strengthen the collaboration between institutions and 2) gain a better understanding of MEAS researchers’ and Museum employees' perspectives on university-museum partnerships.

Learning Assistantships In College Mathematics: Value For Preservice Teacher Development, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Paula Jakopovic, Janice Rech, Angie Hodge-Zickerman

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Increasing the participation and achievement of students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) from early grades to college coursework continues to be at the forefront of educational transformations and research. Faculty members at Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) plan, implement, and investigate how program structures might aid in the development, retention, and overall success of undergraduate students in STEM. Active learning classrooms, especially in mathematics, are one way IHE are reforming student learning experiences, and these environments also provide a unique opportunity to engage undergraduate learning assistants with faculty to support near - peer students and deepen their own …

The Next Generation Of Science Educators: Museum Volunteers, Emma Refvem, M. Gail Jones, K. Ren Rende, Sarah Carrier, Megan Ennes

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

There is a growing need for science educators and communicators who can support public understanding of complex science issues. Furthermore, little is known about how to nurture career aspirations for teaching science. This study examined the influence of youth volunteer experiences on career aspirations through a lens of science identity. Twenty-one participants were interviewed about high school volunteer experiences at a science museum. Data were coded for factors related to science identity (recognition, competence, and performance) and career aspirations. Results showed that the museum program contributed to the development of youth volunteers’ science identities through experiences that bolstered individuals’ science …

Coaching To Develop Teacher Professional Noticing: Planning With Students And Mathematics In Mind, Paula M. Jakopovic

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Purpose

This paper examines how intentional mathematics coaching practices can develop teacher professional noticing of “ambitious teaching practices” (NCTM, 2020) through connected, collaborative coaching cycles.

Design/methodology/approach

Narrative analysis is used to examine observations of a mathematics coach and novice teacher to better understand the role of the coach in helping teachers attend to ambitious mathematics teaching (AMT) practices.

Findings

The initial findings of this study suggest that intentional use of focused goals, iterative coaching cycles and a gradual release model of coaching can support shifts in noticing of AMT from being led by the coach to being facilitated by the …

Multilingualism, Nation Branding, And The Ownership Of English In Kazakhstan And Uzbekistan, Madina Djuraeva

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

This study examines the ownership of English and linguistic (in)security of multilingual English learners in two post-Soviet nation-states. Using the chronotopic and scalar analysis of discourse, I examine students’ ideologies of English vis-à-vis their linguistic repertoires in the context of national imaginary and globalization. I utilize the concept of ‘nation branding’ to trace the relationship between language ideologies and broader sociopolitical factors, including neoliberalism. The analysis of 60 individual student interviews revealed that the state-circulated nation-branding discourse is a powerful tool for instilling the sense of linguistic ownership. The findings showed that students in Uzbekistan regard English as opportunistic and …

Impact Of Interdisciplinary Collaborative Behavior Coach Training For School Counselors, Social Workers, And Psychologists, Kristen Abueg

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Children’s social and emotional skill deficits can be predictors of a lifetime of academic and behavioral challenges and mental health concerns. Young children with challenging behaviors are at a higher risk for substance abuse and school failure. Behavior coaching is a current focus in many schools and is being utilized to support school-wide systems and teachers in relationship to students with behavior and mental health concerns. The purpose of this descriptive quantitative study was to investigate the impact of interdisciplinary collaborative behavior coach training for school counselors, social workers, and psychologists in a Midwest suburban school district. Interdisciplinary collaborative behavior …

“You Sound Like A Good Program Manager”: An Analysis Of Gender In Women’S Computing Life Histories, Rose K. Pozos, Michelle Friend

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Through the eyes of professional women in computing, we can better understand the impact of workplace structures, higher education pathways, and the particular closed nature of the tech industry. This study of women’s life histories contributes to the work of in-depth qualitative examinations of CS learning contexts and psychological studies investigating phenomena such stereotype threat which contextualize the experience of women in computing environments. Drawing inspiration from Margolis and Fisher’s work drawing the “blueprints” of the “boy’s clubhouse” of computing education [20], as well as McDermott and Webber’s analysis of when math learning occurs [22], we ask when, where, and …

Campus Stem Innovation From A Foothold In Mathematics: Lessons Learned From A Place Where It Happened, Angie Hodge-Zickerman, Janice Rech, Kelly Gomez Johnson

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

A metropolitan university, has had a productive journey in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), which eventually led to a campus STEM priority, endowed STEM Community Chairs, an increase in external grants, disciplinary degree pathways for high school teachers and even a Citywide STEM Ecosystem organization. Much of this journey surfaced from collaborations originating in mathematics education, which then synergized into campus wide efforts. This article describes one campus’ journey into STEM and how transforming the mathematics teacher education program represented a “springboard” for formalizing STEM collaboration and innovation. It is offered to aid other institutions who want to make …

Developing A Network Of Regional Inquiry-Based Learning (Ibl) Communities: Preliminary Findings & Key Learnings On A Grassroots Initiative, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Paula M. Jakopovic, Patrick X. Ralut

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Finding and creating communities of like-minded colleagues is easier said than done. Instructional and philosophical change, around the practice of inquiry, is complex and therefore, having access to quality resources, expertise and a supportive network can make a big difference. Especially during a global pandemic and sociopolitical unrest, leveraging existing and emerging networks of faculty working jointly on ideas and developing solutions can be advantageous. During this session, participants will hear about the inaugural year of a federally funded network of regional inquiry-based learning communities. Topics covered will include the network's mission and goals, key infrastructure and implementation elements, and …

Beyond Traditional Teacher Preparation: Value-Add Experiences For Preservice Secondary Mathematics Teachers, Paula Jakopovic, Kelly Gomez Johnson

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

The current pool of highly qualified secondary mathematics teachers is woefully inadequate to address the needs of schools across the United States and other countries internationally. In STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) areas, providing quality instruction in a changing world requires continuous change and innovation as programs prepare and train teachers. University teacher preparation programs wrestle with ways to provide wider professional experiences (WPE) within social learning environments called communities of practice (CoP). This qualitative study examines a university-led undergraduate scholarship program, aimed at recruiting, training, and retaining highly qualified secondary preservice mathematics teacher candidates. With increased exposure to mathematics …

Math Escape Rooms: A Novel Approach For Engaging Learners In Math Circles, Janice F. Rech, Paula M. Jakopovic, Hannah Seidl, Greg Lawson, Rachel Pugh

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Engaging middle and high school students in Math Circles requires time, planning and creativity. Finding novel approaches to maintain the interest of a variety of learners can be challenging. This paper outlines a model for developing and implementing math escape rooms as a unique structure for facilitating collaborative problem solving in a Math Circle. These escape rooms were designed and hosted by undergraduate secondary mathematics education majors. We provide possible structures for hosting escape rooms that could translate to a range of settings, as well as reflections and lessons learned through our experiences that could inform practitioners in other settings.