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1. Using human, social, structural, and positive psychological capital to explore science and mathematics teacher retention

   https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-024-00523-1  

   Ekmekci, Adem; Aqazade, Mahtob; McGraw, Rebecca; Rushton, Gregory; Gibson, David_J; Cerosaletti, Cathleen; Daley, Michael; Kucuk, Burak (February 2025, International Journal of STEM Education)

   Abstract BackgroundTeacher turnover is a dire and chronic problem for many education systems across the globe. According to UNESCO, 70% of teachers will be replaced by 2030. This study investigates the relationship between the retention of science and mathematics teachers and factors related to human, social, structural, and positive psychological capital—a four-capital teacher retention model. More specifically, this study explores how teaching self-efficacy, leadership engagement, teacher-school fit, diversity beliefs, community connections, and professional social network characteristics (e.g., size, bridging, proximity, reach) relate to teacher retention. Additionally, potential differences in retention and the aforementioned factors related to the four-capital model between Master Teaching Fellows (MTFs) and their peers (non-MTFs) with similar human capital (demographics and experience) are explored in this study. Participants were K-12 science and mathematics teachers (85 MTFs and 82 non-MTFs) from six different regions across the U.S. MTFs participated in one of seven long-term (5–6 years) Robert Noyce Master Teaching Fellowship Programs funded by the National Science Foundation. ResultsLeadership engagement was positively associated with shifting (from teaching to a formal leadership position). Teacher-school fit was negatively associated with leaving. For secondary teachers, teaching self-efficacy was positively associated with shifting to a leadership position. Leadership network size, bridging, and geographic proximity variables were positively related to shifting when compared to staying as classroom teachers. Teaching network bridging and leadership network bridging were positively related to leavers when compared to stayers. MTF shifters were likely to shift earlier in their careers than non-MTFs. Lastly, MTFs had higher self-efficacy, geographically larger teaching networks and leadership networks, and more contacts and bridging roles in their leadership networks than non-MTFs. ConclusionFindings provide support for teacher leadership programs in promoting leadership roles and responsibilities for STEM teachers and retaining teachers in STEM education either in the classroom or in administrative roles. These findings suggest that school administrators may also play a key role in encouraging teachers to engage in leadership activities and have a broader impact on public education by, for example, adopting a hybrid model of leadership roles that involves classroom teaching. 

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2. Citizen science in elementary classrooms: a tale of two teachers

   https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1470070  

   Carrier, Sarah J; Scharen, Danielle R; Hayes, Meredith; Smith, P Sean; Bruce, Anna; Craven, Laura (September 2024, Frontiers in education)

   IntroductionElementary teachers face many challenges when including reform-based science instruction in their classrooms, and some teachers have chosen to enhance their science instruction by introducing students to citizen science (CS) projects. When CS projects are incorporated in formal school settings, students have an opportunity to engage in real-world projects as they collect and make sense of data, yet relatively few CS projects offer substantial guidance for teachers seeking to implement the projects, placing a heavy burden on teacher learning. MethodsFramed in theory on teacher relationships with curricula, we prepared science standards-aligned educative support materials for two CS projects. We present convergent mixed methods research that examines two teachers’ contrasting approaches to including school-based citizen science (SBCS) in their fifth-grade classrooms, each using support materials for one of the two CS projects. Both are veteran teachers at under-resourced Title 1 (an indicator of the high percentage of the students identified as economically disadvantaged) rural schools in the southeastern United States. We document the teachers’ interpretations and use of SBCS materials for the CS projects with data from classroom observations, instructional logs, teacher interviews, and student focus groups. ResultsOne teacher adapted the materials to include scaffolding to position students for success in data collection and analysis. In contrast, the second teacher adapted the SBCS support materials to maintain a teacher-centered approach to instruction, identifying perceptions of students’ limited abilities and limited instructional time as constraining factors. DiscussionWe discuss the intersection of CS projects in formal education and opportunities for engaging students in authentic science data collection, analysis, and sense-making. The two teachers’ stories identify the influences of school context and the need for teacher support to encourage elementary teachers’ use of SBCS instruction to supplement their science instruction. 

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3. Examining the minimal combined effects of gender and minoritized racial/ethnic identity among academic entrepreneurs

   https://doi.org/10.1108/ijge-03-2023-0050  

   Duval-Couetil, Nathalie; Epstein, Alanna; Huang-Saad, Aileen (July 2024, International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship)

   PurposeThis study examined differences related to gender and racial/ethnic identity among academic researchers participating in the National Science Foundation’s “Innovation-Corps” (NSF I-Corps) entrepreneurship training program. Drawing from prior research in the fields of technology entrepreneurship and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, this study addresses the goal of broadening participation in academic entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approachUsing ANOVA and MANOVA analyses, we tested for differences by gender and minoritized racial/ethnic identity for four variables considered pertinent to successful program outcomes: (1) prior entrepreneurial experience, (2) perceptions of instructional climate, (3) quality of project team interactions and (4) future entrepreneurial intention. The sample includes faculty (n = 434) and graduate students (n = 406) who completed pre- and post-course surveys related to a seven-week nationwide training program. FindingsThe findings show that group differences based on minoritized racial/ethnic identity compared with majority group identity were largely not evident. Previous research findings were replicated for only one variable, indicating that women report lower amounts of total prior entrepreneurial experience than men, but no gender differences were found for other study variables. Originality/valueOur analyses respond to repeated calls for research in the fields of entrepreneurship and STEM education to simultaneously examine intersecting minoritized and/or under-represented social identities to inform recruitment and retention efforts. The unique and large I-Corps national dataset offered the statistical power to quantitatively test for differences between identity groups. We discuss the implications of the inconsistencies in our analyses with prior findings, such as the need to consider selection bias. 

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4. Inspiring STEM education focused on solutions

   https://doi.org/10.56367/OAG-039-10836  

   Songer, Nancy Butler (January 2023, Open Access Government)

   Inspiring STEM education focused on solutionsNancy Butler Songer, from the University of Utah, makes a call for collective action to create a new curriculum focused on the design of solutions. June 5, 2023, marked The United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) fiftieth anniversary of World Environment Day, the largest global platform for environmental public outreach. Hosted by Côte D’Ivoire, this year’s celebration emphasized a need for collective action and policy to realize known solutions, such as the sustainable design of products and materials to reduce how much plastic waste flows into aquatic ecosystems. World Environment Day helps us to recognize that to address many current environmental, educational, health, and economic challenges that have foundations in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines, we cannot rely on individuals or even experts within one area of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or education. We must innovate with, study, and empower students, teachers, community members, and university and industry partners toward collective action. 

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5. Long-Term Outcomes of RET Programs on Female and Minority Student High School Graduation Rates and Undergraduate STEM Major Rates (Fundamental)

   Nichol, C.; Crawford, C. A.; Barr, C.; Cerda, I. (January 2021, ASEE Annual Conference proceedings)

   null (Ed.)

   Research Experience for Teachers (RET) programs are National Science Foundation (NSF) funded programs designed to provide K- 12 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) teachers with immersive, hands-on research experiences at Universities around the country. The NSF RET in nanotechnology encourages teachers to translate cutting-edge research into culturally relevant Project-Based Learning (PjBL) and engineering curriculum. Traditionally, the evaluation of RET programs focuses on the growth and development of teacher self-efficacy, engineering content knowledge gains, or classroom implementation of developed curriculum materials. However, reported methods for evaluating the impact of RETs on their female, minority student populations' high school graduation and undergraduate STEM major rates are limited. This study's objective was to compare RET high school student graduation rates and undergraduate STEM major rates across gender, race, and ethnicity to a comparison sample to determine the RET program's long-term impact on students' likelihood of pursuing STEM careers. The approach of collecting and analyzing the Texas Education Research Center Database (EdRC) data is a novel methodology for assessing RET programs' effectiveness on students. The EdRC is a repository of K-12 student data from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and Higher Education data from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). This joint database contains demographic, course registration, graduation, standardized testing, and college major, among others, for all students that attended a K-12 public school in Texas and any college in Texas, public or private. The RET program participants at Rice University (2010 – 2018) taught numerous students, a sample size of 11,240 students. A propensity score matching generated the student comparison group within the database. Students' school campus, gender, race/ethnic status, and English proficiency status were applied to produce a graduation comparison sample size of 11,240 students of Non-RET participants. Linking the TEA database to the THECB database resulted in college STEM participants and comparison sample sizes of 4,029 students. The project team conducted a logistic regression using RET status to predict high school graduation rates as a whole and by individual variables: gender, Asian American, Black, Caucasian, and Latinx students. All models were significant at p less than 0.05, with models in favor of students RET teachers. The project team conducted a logistic regression using RET status to predict student STEM undergraduate major rates as a whole and by individual variables: Gender, Asian American, Black, Caucasian, and Latinx students. African American and Caucasian models were significant at p less than 0.05; Gender, Asian American, and Latinx models were marginally significant (0.05 less than p greater than 0.1), where RET students had higher STEM major rates than matched controls. The findings demonstrate that RET programs have a long-term positive impact on the students' high school graduation rates and undergraduate STEM major rates. As teachers who participate in the RET programs are more likely to conduct courses using PjBL strategies and incorporate real-world engineering practices, female and minority students are more likely to benefit from these practices and seek careers utilizing these skills. 

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