Assessing the Effectiveness of a New Course in Math and Science Education in Recruiting Math and Science Majors into Education
4. Results
The CP course had very little impact on students' decisions to certify in education
while undergraduates. Out of the 41 students who had taken the course, three become
certified in education during their undergraduate studies. The two survey respondents who
reported they were certified as undergraduates indicated that the CP course did not
influence them in this respect; they were already intending to certify or in process of
getting certified when they took the course.
Eleven of the 41 alumnae and undergraduates students from the CP course minored in education, a program which is less demanding than certifying. These students constituted 55% of the 20 math or science majors who minored in education during the years 2002-2008. The two survey respondents who reported they had minored in education both indicated that the CP course had had some influence on their decision to minor.
In our sample of 17 alumnae, five (29%) taught at private or parochial schools after graduation (including three who also taught at public schools). Of these, one indicated that the CP course had some influence on her decision.
We found that six of the 17 (35%) went on to have some experience teaching in public schools (including three who also taught at private or parochial schools). 50% of these alumnae indicated some influence from CP in their decision to engage in this activity. Thus, a total of eight alumnae have taught or are currently teaching math or science in public, private or parochial schools, and half of them (four) indicated that the CP course influenced, to some degree, their decision to teach.
Eight alumnae (47% of those surveyed) enrolled in and/or completed an education certification program after graduating from college, and 50% of them indicated that the CP course influenced their decision. Interestingly, three of these eight alumnae have not yet taught in public, private or parochial schools, so in addition to the eight alumnae who already have teaching experience at this time, we can expect that these three will also go on to teach, probably in public school settings. This brings the total number of alumnae who have or probably will teach math or science at the secondary level to 11 out of 17 surveyed, or nearly 2/3 of the sample.
The service-learning (field placement) component of the course was deemed valuable by 100% of the survey respondents; nearly 75% of respondents rated the field placement "very valuable." In the phone interviews, we explored further the impact of the field-placement. Respondents' comments included:
"Mostly, what stands out to me was my placement. I was put into an elementary school, and it was just phenomenal working with the kids and the teacher was very hands-on; oftentimes [she] would stay after class and talk to me about what she wanted to accomplish out of lesson plans and how to interact and formative assessment with the children and everything."
"...[The field placement] was just like seeing a reformed curriculum actually working and seeing that there was a different way than just lecture."
Eleven of the 41 alumnae and undergraduates students from the CP course minored in education, a program which is less demanding than certifying. These students constituted 55% of the 20 math or science majors who minored in education during the years 2002-2008. The two survey respondents who reported they had minored in education both indicated that the CP course had had some influence on their decision to minor.
In our sample of 17 alumnae, five (29%) taught at private or parochial schools after graduation (including three who also taught at public schools). Of these, one indicated that the CP course had some influence on her decision.
We found that six of the 17 (35%) went on to have some experience teaching in public schools (including three who also taught at private or parochial schools). 50% of these alumnae indicated some influence from CP in their decision to engage in this activity. Thus, a total of eight alumnae have taught or are currently teaching math or science in public, private or parochial schools, and half of them (four) indicated that the CP course influenced, to some degree, their decision to teach.
Eight alumnae (47% of those surveyed) enrolled in and/or completed an education certification program after graduating from college, and 50% of them indicated that the CP course influenced their decision. Interestingly, three of these eight alumnae have not yet taught in public, private or parochial schools, so in addition to the eight alumnae who already have teaching experience at this time, we can expect that these three will also go on to teach, probably in public school settings. This brings the total number of alumnae who have or probably will teach math or science at the secondary level to 11 out of 17 surveyed, or nearly 2/3 of the sample.
The service-learning (field placement) component of the course was deemed valuable by 100% of the survey respondents; nearly 75% of respondents rated the field placement "very valuable." In the phone interviews, we explored further the impact of the field-placement. Respondents' comments included:
"Mostly, what stands out to me was my placement. I was put into an elementary school, and it was just phenomenal working with the kids and the teacher was very hands-on; oftentimes [she] would stay after class and talk to me about what she wanted to accomplish out of lesson plans and how to interact and formative assessment with the children and everything."
"...[The field placement] was just like seeing a reformed curriculum actually working and seeing that there was a different way than just lecture."
