The Challenges of Designing Degree Plans for Noyce Teaching Candidates:

The Value of Curriculum Mapping

Bradley E. Hoge1, Jon Aoki1, Ronald Beebe2 

(1. Department of Natural Sciences, University of Houston-Downtown, USA; 2. Department of Urban Education, University of Houston-Downtown, USA)

Abstract: The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program was established in 2010 to provide teaching certification to science majors and encourage them to enter teaching careers at the secondary level. It quickly became obvious, through advising of these students and formative assessment of their progress, that it was very difficult to finish a science degree and teaching certification within the proscribed two years of the Noyce program, however. The Bachelor of Science in Biological and Physical Sciences degree plan provides the flexibility to include education courses as electives, but there was concern that if it was used for this purpose it might allow students to choose courses that would not meet all departmental learning objectives (LOs). Surveys were conducted with NS faculty to determine which courses delivered each LO, and at what level of Bloom’s taxonomy. Curriculum maps were used to develop a new BPS with Teaching Certification degree plan which also meets State of Texas requirements that all degree plans fit within 120 hours. This degree plan has proven to be a better alternative for Noyce students, though there is some concern that this plan may limit student’s potential applications to graduate school.

Key words: curriculum mapping, learning objectives, academic planning, high-impact learning experiences,

Noyce teacher scholarship program