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Title: Maybe we aren’t that different after all: Faculty perceptions of grade 7-12 teaching as a career
Nearly half of STEM majors in the United States express interest in becoming a grade 7-12 teacher, yet as a nation we face a shortage of qualified math and science teachers. Studies have found that misperceptions about grade 7-12 math and science teaching are impacting student career choices. As part of the Get the Facts Out project, this work addresses faculty perceptions of grade 7-12 teaching because faculty play an important role in student career decisions. Additionally, understanding how faculty perceptions of grade 7-12 teaching differ may inform targeted efforts to change perceptions in the future. In this study, nearly 500 college STEM faculty members' perceptions of grade 7-12 teaching were measured using a newly developed survey. Faculty perceptions were then compared based on department affiliation, position type, and gender. No significantly practical differences were found based on these demographics. Implications for STEM teacher recruitment are discussed.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1821710
PAR ID:
10275815
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ;
Editor(s):
Wolf, Steven F.; Bennett, Michael B.; Frank, Brian W.
Date Published:
Journal Name:
2020 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings
Page Range / eLocation ID:
51 to 56
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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