*Indicates Noyce Scholars and Noyce teachers involved in professional presentations
Association for Science Teacher Education, International Conference, 2023
Teaching and persisting in high-needs schools: Motivating pre-service secondary STEM teachers to "make it their mission", Angela Webb and Kerry Cresawn
NSF-funded Noyce Scholarship Programs require scholars commit to teach two years per year of funding in a school located in a high-needs district. But how do we support scholars to teach in the actual high-needs school? This study explores perceptions, interest, and motivations to teach in high-needs schools of one university’s Noyce scholars.
Mid-Atlantic Association for Science Teacher Education, 2022
Investigating the Role of Professional Mentors for Supporting Induction STEM Teachers, Robbie Higdon
As early career practitioners, induction teachers typically invest a great deal of cognitive demand in planning instruction, managing the classroom environment, and evaluating student achievement. Therefore, they often continue to utilize practices that are ineffective or unsuccessful without being able to assess the effectiveness of those practices (Downey, Steffy, English, Frase, & Poston, Jr., 2004). In this initiative, STEM induction teachers are paired with a professional mentor (PM) within their content area who engage them in reflective dialogues regarding areas of their strength and growth. The PM meets with the induction teacher at a minimum of every two weeks to assist the induction teacher in articulating and reflecting upon their instructional decision making processes. This long-term partnership allows the mentor to build trusting and supportive relationships with the teachers as they have multiple opportunities to engage with them as they begin to develop their practice.
AAAS and NSF Noyce Summit, 2022
“The Money is Great, but”: The Attraction of Community in the JMU Noyce Scholarship Program, Kerry Cresawn, Angela Webb, and Alex Shafer*
See proposal here
Association for Science Teacher Education, International Conference, 2022
Professional learning communities as a site of support for Noyce Scholars and Teachers: An exploration of access and meaning making, Angela Webb and Kerry Cresawn
Work to advance better beginnings in the classroom for newly hired science teachers can begin in teacher education programs and must continue into initial years on the job. This study explores the ways in which a university’s Noyce Scholars and Teachers access and make meaning of various activities within an active professional learning community.
VA Association of Science Teachers, 2021
Supporting Science Teachers During and After COVID-19, Kerry Cresawn, Robbie Higdon, and Angela Webb
Supporting teachers is crucial, especially during these uncharted pandemic times. In this session, we will share the ways in which the JMU Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program supported preservice and novice science teachers during the pandemic and how we will continue to be responsive in our support as teachers and schools return to a semblance of pre-pandemic ‘normal’. This session will be of interest to science teacher educators, division and school leaders, and professional developers.
Citizen Science: Authentic, Accessible, 3-dimensional, Angela Webb
Citizen (or community) science provides science learners rich opportunities to engage in meaningful science. In doing so, learners use science and engineering practices in authentic contexts and build scientific literacy. In this session, JMU preservice teachers discuss the benefits and barriers of including citizen science in the secondary classroom and share ideas for engaging learners in authentic, accessible, 3D citizen science projects that are aligned with the curriculum and standards. Co-presenters: T. Bill, M. Burke*, E. Cawley*, E. Clark*, G. Durrett, M. Johnson, D. Light, Z. Spencer, K. Venable*, & T. Wells
Mid-Atlantic Association for Science Teacher Education, 2021
Building community and creating professional learning opportunities for Noyce scholars during the pandemic, Angela Webb, Kerry Cresawn, and Robbie Higdon
Opportunities for professional learning beyond the university classroom settings are key to the development of preservice and newly hired science teachers. This has always been the case, yet the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the focus and reshaped the facilitation of such professional learning opportunities. In this presentation, we discuss the ways in which we designed and facilitated professional learning opportunities for JMU Noyce Scholars during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key takeaways that will inform the planning and facilitation of future professional learning events and opportunities will also be discussed.
VA Association of Science Teachers, 2020
Academic Controversy to Enhance Understanding in Science, Angela Webb
To be scientifically literate, it is imperative students understand, apply, and critically examine key ideas and practices. This can be fostered via debate; yet not all debated topics are scientifically controversial. In this session, JMU preservice teachers model and share ideas for introducing debate via constructive, cooperative, and academic controversy. Co-presenters: M. Almond, S. Elbon, K. Hefele, A. Melendez*, C. Osborn, K. Reibsome*, K. Satterwhite, V. Segerstrom, N. Slater*, & P. Smith*.
Measuring Transpiration in Plants, Mike Renfroe
Students often lack an understanding of the importance of plants to life on our planet. Plants provide many ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, oxygen production, soil stabilization, water purification, and provision of food, shelter, fiber, and medicines. This laboratory investigation focuses on the process of transpiration and can serve as a lesson on plant anatomy and physiology, on environmental effects on plants, or on data collection, analysis, and presentation.
Mid-Atlantic Association for Science Teacher Education, 2020
Induction into the Great Unknown: Supporting Science and Mathematics Teachers During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Angela Webb, Robbie Higdon, and Eric Pyle
Induction programs can support newly hired teachers during a phase of transition and continued learning (Ingersoll & Strong, 2011). This presentation discusses planning for a summer induction academy and details the ways in which these plans had to respond to the ever-changing realities of school reopening plans in order to support better beginnings in the teaching profession for JMU Noyce Scholars. Although each member of project leadership seeks for our Noyce Scholars to be as successful as possible in their new positions, we were forced to reconsider our roles and responsibilities when the contexts for which newly hired teachers were prepared—and induction support was planned—were fundamentally altered by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Key takeaways from planning and facilitating a summer induction academy amid a global pandemic that can inform the work of others supporting the induction and success of newly hired teachers this fall will be discussed.
VA Association of Science Teachers, 2019
ReGifted: Differentiating for your high-ability students, Robbie Higdon and Alex Shafer*
Shafer, A*., Sanders, A., Higdon, R., & Kohrs, R. (2019, November 14-16). ReGifted: Differentiating for your high-ability students [Conference presentation]. Virginia Association of Science Teachers Annual Conference, Roanoke, VA.
Strategies for actively engaging students in every lesson, Robbie Higdon
Higdon, R. (2019, November 14-16). Strategies for actively engaging students in every lesson [Conference presentation]. Virginia Association of Science Teachers Annual Conference, Roanoke, VA. Co-presenters: Nick Slater*, Kayla Reibsome*, and Alesha Melendez*
Academic controversy to enhance conceptual understanding, Angela Webb
Webb, A. (2019, November). Academic controversy to enhance conceptual understanding. Presentation at the 2019 Virginia Association of Science Teachers Professional Development Institute, Roanoke, VA. Co-presenters: Spencer Knox, Andrew Lough, Chris McKinney, Daniel Paunovic, Alex Shafer*, and Shannon Van Tol
