ABSTRACT

Shortages of science and mathematics teachers are a serious concern in the United States. Despite the implementation of intervention strategies to address this problem at the high school level, little empirical research had been conducted to inform and strengthen these initiatives. This retrospective cohort study used multinomial logistic regression models to predict students’ science and mathematics teaching career intentions at the end of high school. These intentions were most strongly associated with having had an interest in science and mathematics teaching already at the beginning of high school. Other significant predictors included middle school interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers, high mathematics preparation, and a desire to work with, and help, others. Whereas students interested in science and mathematics teaching shared many motivational features with students interested in other teaching careers, their mathematics knowledge was significantly higher. This research counters blanket stereotypes about teacher ineptitude, while supporting a more positive view of teachers’ motivation to teach. Future interventions targeting high school students should focus on mentorship opportunities and purposeful teaching experiences that mirror the roles science and mathematics teachers play in school life. Such interventions highlight both the potential positive impacts teaching has on students and provide further subject matter exploration. Examples of such programs can range from formalized teaching assistant positions in science and mathematics classrooms to full university partnerships in which colleges of education and science, as well as local school boards/districts, work together to spark interest in science and mathematics teaching among high school students.

摘要

科学和数学教师的短缺是美国的一个严重问题。尽管在高中阶段实施了干预策略来解决这个问题，但很少进行实证研究来告知和加强这些举措。这项回顾性队列研究使用多项逻辑回归模型来预测学生在高中结束时的科学和数学教学职业意向。这些意图与高中开始时就对科学和数学教学产生了兴趣最密切相关。其他重要的预测因素包括中学对科学、技术、工程和数学职业的兴趣、高中数学准备以及与他人合作和帮助他人的愿望。尽管对科学和数学教学感兴趣的学生与对其他教学职业感兴趣的学生有许多共同的动机特征，但他们的数学知识要高得多。这项研究反驳了关于教师无能的刻板印象，同时支持对教师教学动机的更积极看法。未来针对高中生的干预措施应侧重于指导机会和有目的的教学经验，以反映科学和数学教师在学校生活中所扮演的角色。这样的干预既突出了教学对学生的潜在积极影响，又提供了进一步的主题探索。