Award Abstract # 1660776
Breaking the Cycle: Preparing Future STEM Teachers for the Highest Need Urban Schools by Embracing Culturally-responsive Instruction

NSF Org: DUE
Division Of Undergraduate Education
Recipient: FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Initial Amendment Date: May 9, 2017
Latest Amendment Date: October 15, 2020
Award Number: 1660776
Award Instrument: Continuing Grant
Program Manager: Patrice Waller
pwaller@nsf.gov
 (703)292-4944
DUE
 Division Of Undergraduate Education
EDU
 Directorate for STEM Education
Start Date: May 15, 2017
End Date: April 30, 2024 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $1,199,468.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $1,199,468.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2017 = $1,007,089.00
FY 2020 = $192,379.00
History of Investigator:
  • Laird Kramer (Principal Investigator)
    Laird.Kramer@fiu.edu
  • Zahra Hazari (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Maria Fernandez (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Vishodana Thamotharan (Former Principal Investigator)
  • Laird Kramer (Former Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: Florida International University
11200 SW 8TH ST
MIAMI
FL  US  33199-2516
(305)348-2494
Sponsor Congressional District: 26
Primary Place of Performance: Florida International University
11200 SW 8th Street
Miami
FL  US  33199-0001
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
26
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): Q3KCVK5S9CP1
Parent UEI: Q3KCVK5S9CP1
NSF Program(s): Robert Noyce Scholarship Pgm
Primary Program Source: 04001718DB NSF Education & Human Resource
04002021DB NSF Education & Human Resource
Program Reference Code(s): 9178, SMET
Program Element Code(s): 179500
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.076

ABSTRACT

The Track 1 Noyce project at Florida International University (FIU), "Breaking the cycle: Preparing future STEM teachers for the highest need urban schools by embracing culturally responsive instruction", will substantially increase the number of highly qualified teachers prepared to serve in high-need school districts. The project will recruit, prepare, administer two-year scholarships and facilitate induction for 33 Scholars over the five-year project. FIU, an urban public research university with over 54,000 students, is partnering with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the fourth largest school district in the nation serving over 350,000 students, to establish the project testbed in highly diverse Miami, Florida. The project embraces the diversity of FIU's student body, over 78% of which are from historically underrepresented groups, and develops their culturally responsive instructional practices so they are prepared to break the cycle of persistent low achievement as future education leaders in the highest need schools. In parallel, the project will establish a dissemination model to enable adoption and adaptation across the nation.

The project targets developing critical teaching agency in Noyce Scholars in order to prepare them to serve in critical needs school via authentic community-based learning focused on three major activities: 1) Authentic Field Experiences in Critical Needs Schools, 2) Cohort Experience and 3) Research and Instructional Internships. Noyce Scholars will be primarily recruited through the FIUteach program, FIU's high-fidelity replication of the UTeach teacher preparation model that has developed into one of the nation's largest UTeach replication sites. Upon induction, Scholars will receive dedicated support including 1) a paid on-site mentor, 2) Master Teacher coaching visits, 3) professional development and 4) Alumni meetings, all complementing the induction support of the district and school. The project's research and evaluation activities seek to understand how to recruit and prepare future science and mathematics teachers to be effective in the highest needs schools, how to support their induction into these schools, and how the Scholar's classroom practice progresses over the project. The project will also investigate the development of teacher identity and critical agency for teaching during both the Scholarship and induction phases of Noyce Scholars careers. Thus, the project will generate critical insight into best practices for how to prepare preservice teachers to serve in diverse, urban schools.

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