Sustainability

published by the Physics Teacher Education Coalition

Teacher preparation programs will have a significant impact on the number of well-prepared physics teachers in classrooms around the country only if they are incorporated into departmental infrastructure, and do not simply depend on the volunteer effort of a small number of dedicated faculty members. Physics departments and university administrations must buy into the idea that they share some of the responsibility for addressing the nation's teacher shortage. Ultimately, sustainability depends on whether an institution is willing to devote substantial resources, in the form of faculty time, academic credit, and course reform support, to preparing the next generation of physics teachers.

http://phystec.org/components/sustainability/strategies.php

Strengthening the K12 Teacher Workforce

written by Joan Prival

Recent national reports, calling attention to the need to increase and enrich the nation's science and engineering talent pool, are placing an increased emphasis on expanding and strengthening the teacher workforce.  This article offers information about and links to NSF initiatives in STEM teacher improvement and recruitment.

http://www.aps.org/units/fed/newsletters/fall06-spring07/prival.html

The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program

written by the National Science Foundation

The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program seeks to encourage talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors and professionals to become K-12 mathematics and science teachers. The program provides funds to institutions of higher education to support scholarships, stipends, and programs for students who commit to teaching in high-need K-12 school districts.

http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5733&org=DUE&from=home

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP)

written by the National Science Foundation

The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP) seeks to increase the number of students (U.S. citizens or permanent residents) receiving associate or baccalaureate degrees in established or emerging fields within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Type 1 proposals are solicited that provide for full implementation efforts at academic institutions. Type 2 proposals are solicited that support educational research projects on associate or baccalaureate degree attainment in STEM.

http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5488&org=DUE&from=home

Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement Grants (CCLI)

written by the National Science Foundation

The Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) program seeks to improve the quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for all undergraduate students. The program supports efforts to create, adapt, and disseminate new learning materials and teaching strategies, develop faculty expertise, implement educational innovations, assess learning and evaluate innovations, and conduct research on STEM teaching and learning. The program supports three types of projects representing three different phases of development, ranging from small, exploratory investigations to large, comprehensive projects.

http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5741&org=DUE&from=home