NSF Org:	DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education
Recipient:	NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
Initial Amendment Date:	July 19, 2021
Latest Amendment Date:	July 19, 2021
Award Number:	2043748
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Leah McAlister-Shields lmcalist@nsf.gov  (703)292-8712 DUE  Division Of Undergraduate Education EDU  Directorate for STEM Education
Start Date:	October 1, 2021
End Date:	September 30, 2025 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$296,001.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$296,001.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2021 = $296,001.00
History of Investigator:	Martha Canipe (Principal Investigator) marti.canipe@nau.edu Ron Gray (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	Northern Arizona University 601 S KNOLES DR RM 220 FLAGSTAFF AZ  US  86011 (928)523-0886
Sponsor Congressional District:	02
Primary Place of Performance:	Northern Arizona University AZ  US  86011-0001
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	02
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	MXHAS3AKPRN1
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s):	Robert Noyce Scholarship Pgm, IUSE
Primary Program Source:	04002122DB NSF Education & Human Resource
Program Reference Code(s):	8209, 9178
Program Element Code(s):	179500, 199800
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.076

ABSTRACT

This project aims to serve the national interest by developing and testing the effectiveness of phenomenon-based science content courses for prospective undergraduate elementary teachers. As part of this Level I - Engaged Student Learning project, two phenomenon-based science courses, specifically focused on the science content areas, life and earth/space and physical science and engineering, that prospective elementary teachers need to understand to teach science in their future classrooms, will be developed using the Ambitious Science Teaching framework. This framework centers around an evidence-based pedagogy that is currently used in K-12 settings. This project intends to test the effectiveness of the developed courses in terms of improving prospective elementary teachers? science content knowledge. Additionally, it will determine the applicability of the Ambitious Science Teaching framework to the undergraduate context especially in science courses for undergraduate students who are not STEM majors and for elementary education majors in particular.

Many elementary education majors graduate from their teacher preparation programs with incomplete science content knowledge and limited experience learning science in ways that model the types of pedagogical approaches shown to be effective for elementary students. This project intends to contribute to the STEM education field?s understanding of how prospective elementary teachers develop deep science content knowledge. This work aims to extend research that has examined the relationship between science content courses for prospective elementary teachers and their confidence, attitudes, and self-efficacy beliefs. This project embraces the critical need for elementary teachers to not only develop useful understandings of science content, but to also to utilize effective science teaching instructional approaches. This project will extend a model of science instruction, Ambitious Science Teaching, shown to be effective in K-12 settings into undergraduate science teacher preparation. Project goals are to: 1) Develop two phenomenon-based science courses (one focused on Life and Earth/Space Science and the second focused on Physical Sciences and Engineering) targeting undergraduate elementary education majors; 2) Examine the impact of the phenomenon-based science courses on prospective elementary teachers? science content knowledge; and 3) Determine the applicability of the Ambitious Science Teaching instructional model to the undergraduate context. Using a mixed methods with a quasi-experimental approach, the research team will investigate the impact of the courses on prospective elementary teachers? science content knowledge and how the Ambitious Science Teaching framework supports prospective elementary teachers in developing understandings of science content. As a community, elementary science teacher educators recognize the enduring challenge of science content knowledge preparedness for their teacher candidates. This project has the potential to significantly impact science instruction for undergraduate elementary education majors and thus their future elementary school students. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools. The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship (Noyce) Program is providing co-funding for this IUSE: EHR project to support the project's preservice teacher preparation goals, which are well-aligned with Noyce Program goals.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.