Dr. Brad HogePrinciple Investigator

Designing a Flexible Degree Program to Meet the Challenges of Finishing a Science Degree with Teaching Certification in Texas

The Natural Sciences Department (NS) at the University of Houston – Downtown (UHD) offers degrees in

Biology, Chemistry, Biotechnology, and Biology and Physical Sciences.

Concentrations are also offered within each program.

The UHD Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program encourages Noyce Scholars to enter into our Bachelor of Biology and Physical Science with Emphasis in Teacher Certification degree program (BPS).

Our experience has been that it is difficult for a Noyce Scholar to complete the Biology or Chemistry degrees and obtain teaching certification within their two years of Noyce program support.

The BPS degree is a flexible degree program designed specifically for the needs of our Noyce Scholars which allows students to complete requirements for teaching certification in a timely manner while also providing the opportunity to concentrate their studies in the life, physical, environmental, and/or earth sciences.

UHD Noyce Scholar

Recruitment Applications Selection

Teacher Preparation

Undergraduate Research

CST/SA Activities

Teams Master Teachers UHD Mentors

HUNSTEMScholars Academy

Student Teaching in AISD

Monitoring and Compliance

Texas now has two pathways for high school students*. One requires students to take four years of science. This is creating a greater need for physics, environmental, and earth science teachers.

The BPS degree allows students to earn concentrations in

geology, Teaching Certification

Students can also minor in an area outside of their concentration.

biology, geology, environmental science, chemistry, physics

Noyce Scholars completing this program then have the option of testing for additional teaching certifications in these areas beyond the standard general science certification.

The BPS degree makes our Noyce Scholars more competitive in the Texas job market.

*Texas was set to initiate standards that would require all students to take four years of science, but this was recently amended to include a track with only two years required.

Mapping Learning Objectives in the BPS Degreeo A curriculum mapping rubric was developed and completed by all faculty members for

each course offered.

o The survey asked faculty to state whether the LO was

o introduced,

o reinforced,

o or emphasized;

o what percentage of time was spent on each LO;

o and what high-impact learning experiences were deployed.

o Results of the surveys were compiled and used to create maps for each of the degree programs in the department.

o These maps were utilized to identify proper progression for each LO, potential gaps in degree plans, appropriate pre-requisites for upper division courses, and to determine future needs for academic planning.

o Curriculum mapping allows for the identification of student trajectories through degree plans, but also for discernment and refinement of learning objectives and improvement of LO assessment rubrics.

o This first round of curriculum mapping identified numerous opportunities for refinement.

o Faculty interpreted terms used in the rubric differently, for instance, leading to an uneven distribution of responses.

o While results indicate that all learning objectives are met in each degree plan, and that all LOs are introduced, reinforced, and emphasized in the proper sequence, different faculty members interpreted these terms differently, Improvements to the curriculum mapping rubric are needed to increase the resolution of the map and ensure that these results are robust.

o Additional rubrics for each LO are being developed to provide better guidelines.

Biology and Physical Sciences Degree Plan Map

Learning Objectives:#1 – Basic Knowledge#2 – Scientific Reasoning#3 – Laboratory Skills#4 – Oral and Written Communication#5 – Independent Research#6 – Teamwork#7 - Ethics

BPS Concentrations Geosciences Teaching Certification

Other NS degrees:

Biology Microbiology

Chemistry Biochemistry Industrial Chemistry Environmental Chemistry Forensic Science

Biotechnology

Learning Objective Success

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LO #1 – BasicKnowledge

Basic Knowledge is introduced and reinforced in all course levels

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LO #2 – ScientificReasoning

Scientific Reasoning is increasinglyreinforced and emphasized as the student moves through the degree plan.

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LO #3 – LaboratorySkills

Laboratory Skills are introduced and reinforced early, but less emphasized in upper division courses.

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LO #4 – Written and OralCommunication

Emphasis on written and oral communication increases in upper division courses.

Learning Objective Success

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LO #5 – Independent Research

Research is required in the Chemistry Degree plan. This is a point of emphasis for all degree plans going forward.

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LO #6 – Teamwork

Opportunities exist to increasethe amount of teamwork.

Based on these results, the NS Academic Planning Committee established three categories for Academic Planning:

High-Impact Experiences (HIE); Improving Student Access and Streamlining

Operations/Service (SA/SS); Resource Development and Student Success

Initiatives to Improve Retention and Graduation (RD/RG).

The committee then developed specific goals for program improvement with benchmarks at Years 1, 3, and 5. Details of strategies used to accomplish these goals and assess success were also developed. The ultimate goal of the plan is to outline student experiences in courses within each discipline, and develop metrics to assess success through high-impact learning experiences.

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LO #7 – Ethics

Ethics are emphasized in upper division Courses, but opportunities exist for reinforcing ethics earlier.

Groups of UHD/NOYCE scholars are grouped with AISD mentor teachers, junior teachers, and UHD faculty mentors to form NOYCE teams.

NOYCE teams meet face-to-face and use HUNSTEM to communicate and consider pedagogical issues and challenges.

UHD/NOYCE Scholars also have the benefit of interacting with faculty and peers of the UHD Scholars Academy.

The SA provides peer-mentoring and tutoring as well as undergraduate research opportunities.

UHD/NOYCE students are encouraged to pursue undergraduate research through the SA Summer Undergraduate Research Program.

Research teams are comprised of NOYCE Scholars, master teachers, junior teachers, and UHD NS faculty

Summer research conducted by NOYCE teams provides all members of the team invaluable experience with scientific research

This experience allows them to develop ideas for applying their experiences into project-based learning in the classroom.

Research projects available to NOYCE students and teachers include:

Building a diatom succession model for a fresh water marsh

Fungal Population Dynamics in Coastal Tallgrass Prairie Systems

Stress Analysis of Bacterial Biofilms

Mathematical Models of Pierce's Disease

Mathematical Modeling of Interacting Signaling Pathways During Neural Development in Vertebrates

Research teams produce posters of their research and present them to the UHD Student Research Conference and other conferences around the country

UHD NOYCE Scholars are also required to work with the teacher in their research teams to produce a lesson for the classroom based on their research experience

The lesson must be inquiry-based PBL