Allison L. Kirchhoff Frances Lawrenz Anica Bowe March 21, 2010
NARST Conference
Slide 2
Teacher quality affects student achievement (Goldhaber &
Brewer, 2000; Darling-Hammond, 1999; National Research Council,
2000; Rivkin, Hanushek & Kain, 2005) Local differences in
teacher quality exist Under-qualified teachers are more common in
low income schools with high minority student populations (Murphy,
DeArmond & Guin, 2003; Scafidi, Sjoquist & Stinebrickner,
2005) 40% of low income students are taught by under- qualified
mathematics teachers (Ingersoll, 2008) High attrition rates in high
need schools compared to low need schools (Ingersoll, 2001;
Lankford, Loeb & Wyckoff, 2002)
Slide 3
Understanding recruitment and retention issues require
understanding the career decisions made by teachers Why teach?
(e.g. Lortie, 1975) Interpersonal, service-oriented, family/time
friendly Where to teach? (e.g. Boyd et al., 2003) Why remain in
teaching? (e.g. Ingersoll, 2001; Weiss, 1999) Studies have begun to
link career decisions with career moves Case studies of select
groups (e.g. Rinke, 2009; Johnson & Birkeland, 2003)
Slide 4
To address the recruitment and retention problems of high need
schools by investigating the career decisions and career moves of
STEM teachers in high need schools Construct a grounded theory
model representing career paths What are Noyce scholars reasons for
the decisions made on the career path of becoming and remaining
teachers in high need schools?
Slide 5
Noyce Scholarship Program Awards funding to STEM majors or
professionals to become teachers in high need schools Scholars
agree to teach for two years in high need districts for every year
of funding Actual implementation of Noyce program at teacher
education institutions varies High need districts Defined according
to FRL rates, percentage of teachers without minimal qualifications
and teacher attrition rates
Slide 6
Data collection In-depth, semi-structured interviews Protocol
modified based on participants current situations Protocol modified
throughout data collection as ongoing analysis revealed areas of
interest Interviews audio recorded and transcribed verbatim Over
250 single-spaced pages of transcripts
Slide 7
38 past and present Noyce scholars 50% teaching in high need
schools beyond Noyce commitment 26% were not teaching 66% had 3-4
yrs of experience; skewed toward less experience 37% were career
changers 35% held leadership positions in their schools 52%
mathematics teachers 80% high school teachers
Slide 8
Strauss & Corbin (1990) grounded theory methodology A
grounded theory is one that is inductively derived from the study
of the phenomenon it representsOne does not begin with a theory,
then prove it. Rather, one begins with an area of study and what is
relevant to that area is allowed to emerge (p. 23). Coding in Nvivo
8.0 1) Open coding Breaking down and labeling the raw data
Categorizing, defining properties and dimensions 2) Axial coding
Determining relationships between codes, categories 3) Selective
coding Validating relationships, finalizing model, searching and
accounting for discrepant data
Slide 9
Selection bias Small numbers of certain groups of scholars
(e.g. left teaching in high need schools for other schools),
tentative associated findings Not longitudinal Inexperienced
sample
Slide 10
What are Noyce scholars reasons for the decisions made on the
career path of becoming and remaining teachers in high need
schools?
Slide 11
serviceworksummary
Slide 12
MAJOR REASONS: ALTRUISTIC, SERVICE-ORIENTED DESIRES Desire to
make a difference and give back a big social commitment. When I was
working full time in laboratory I would volunteer tutoring. It was
sort of a United Way program that was trying to reach out to the
female and minority students who teachers thought were capable but
just needed extra support and Im just a huge, huge believer that
education is the way for women to take care of themselves... (Cara)
Well, because I was a high needs student. Im from originally from
Detroit, Michigan, and I was an at- risk, high needs student, so
kind of like, decided to help someone that was in my shoes.
(Sean)
Slide 13
DESIRE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCEDESIRE TO GIVE BACK Aiden Garrett
Lucy Melanie Jason Amy Brenda Jessica Not teaching Teaching, HN,
3-6 yrs. Dirk Emma Sean Cindy Celeste Teaching, HN, 1-6 yrs.
Slide 14
Slide 15
There seems to be a lack of knowledge for what science is and
it seems like [the students are] not prepared. Some students will
say to me, well I want to be a dentist, or I want to be
(inaudible), but they say they dont really like science, but thats
a science. You might not think of it like that, but I have a love
for science and I wanted to use it. (Karen)
Slide 16
Content preparation was related to the school setting Courses
taught Leadership opportunities Impacted job satisfaction and
career moves I think if I would have had maybe, I taught geometry
which I enjoyed teaching. I felt like that challenged me but I also
taught a class which was called applied math. And that class was
sort of frustrating to me that it was basically like another way
for students to get an extra math credit in high school and I mean,
sometimes I would, literally, be teaching seniors how to add
integers (Stacy)
Slide 17
Slide 18
Who chooses teaching and why is critical Difference between
desire to make a difference and desire to give back Role of
previous career STEM teachers career paths are highly complex
Slide 19
Model is rich with relationships to explore further Construct
surveys using categories, properties and dimensions Longitudinal,
quantitative studies More nuanced studies of role of motivation to
teach desire to make a difference; pathway of career changers; what
informs desire to give back and make a difference Compare findings
with other groups of teachers
Slide 20
Research funded by NSF Grant REC0514884. Any opinions,
findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of
the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National
Science Foundation.
Slide 21
Questions?
Slide 22
Open Coding The data are broken down into discrete parts,
closely examined, compared for similarities and differences (p. 62)
Categorizing The process of grouping concepts that seem to pertain
to the same phenomenacategories have conceptual power because they
are able to pull together around them other groups of concepts or
subcategories (p. 65) Past work experience Education career
Industry career Dissatisfied with career Non- educational youth
work Previous educational experience
Slide 23
Defining properties and dimensions Properties: attributes or
characteristics of a phenomenon (category) (p. 70) Dimensions:
represent locations of a property along a continuum (p. 69)
Education Full-time K-12 Full-time non-K-12 Part-time K-12
Part-time non-K- 12 Industry Full-time Part-time Feelings toward
work Satisfied Dissatisfied Past work experience
Slide 24
Axial coding Data are put back together in new ways after open
coding, by making connections between categories (p. 97) Exploring
relationships: Researcher sensitivity to data; theoretical memos
Discussions with Noyce evaluation team and PI Tools in NVivo
Education Full-time K-12 Full-time non-K-12 Part-time K-12
Part-time Non-K-12 Status or future plans Remain in HN Admin in HN
Leave HN Leave teaching
