CSU Fresno
The Kremen School of Education and the College of Science and Math at CSU Fresno have collaborated in support of MSTI. The campus MSTI project has brought together faculty and staff from both colleges with the common goal of recruiting, preparing, and retaining more science and math teachers. The faculty have designed programs that are rich in content and pedagogy, with the goal of ultimately producing a well-prepared teacher for the classroom.
The campus has provided opportunities for its science teacher candidates to participate in outstanding research programs, including research placements at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in the Bay Area. In addition, it has enabled its elementary and middle school teacher candidates to participate in a summer institute at NASA Ames Research Center in the Bay Area in order to learn methods for integrating NASA materials and experiences into their own curricula.
CSU Fresno has developed two blended programs, one for math and one for science teacher candidates. The MSTI program at CSU Fresno is cohort-based, allowing for efficient scheduling, thorough advising, convenient access to tutoring and support, and careful tracking of student success. At least one course each semester is team taught using a university faculty member and a secondary math/science teacher who is considered to be a pedagogy expert. This type of special instruction is designed to motivate students, allowing them to better see the connection between content and pedagogy and giving them extended experience with “hands on” instruction.
The Fresno program has featured recruitment of current teachers with an interest in a second science or math Credential. This program includes a special summer program, ChemTeach, through which teachers begin a pathway to earning a science credential.