Attracting Science and Mathematics Ph.D.s to Secondary School Education (2000) / Chapter Skim
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2 Will Ph.D.s Consider Careers in Secondary School Science and Mathematics Education?
2 Will Ph.D.s Consider Careers in Secondary School Science and Mathematics Education?
Pages 25-44
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From page 25... ...
Below we provide a description of respondents' current status and field of science or mathematics, their demographic characteristics and career aspirations, and factors that could affect the interest of Ph.D.s in careers in secondary school teaching and education. The survey questionnaire is presented in full in Appendix C
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From page 26... ...
that the demographic characteristics of respondents to our survey are similar to those of the population we sampled, we cannot, of course, say for certain how non-respondents would have replied to the questionnaire. [t is possible that, among those individuals who actually received the questionnaire, those who had an interest in secondary school education or who were at least neutral responded in higher proportions than those who had no interest.
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From page 27... ...
, respectively. Only 14 respondents indicated they were Hispanic.
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From page 28... ...
As discussed below, chemists who responded to the survey were less interested in secondary school teaching and curnculum development positions compared to respondents in other groups. CAREER ASPIRATIONS For nearly half of all respondents, their next step in employment was a postdoctoral position.
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From page 29... ...
49o/o 11 4 4 1 1 2 22 2 3 1 00% TABLE 2-2 Percentage Distribution of Respondent's Ultimate Career Aspirations Ultimate Career Aspiration Percent of All Respondents (N=680) Postdoctoral position 1% Research university faculty position 43 Liberal arts college position 14 Community college faculty 1 Other academic position 4 K-12 education position 1 Non-profit organization 1 Government 4 Industry 24 Self employed 7 Other position 4 Total 100% Finally, to ascertain the breadth of career options that science and mathematics Ph.D.s entertain, we asked respondents to indicate all careers they have ever considered.
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From page 30... ...
TABLE 2-3 Percentage Distribution of Positions Ever Considered _ Position Ever Considered Percent of all respondents (N=680) Postdoctoral position 38% Research university faculty position 70 Liberal arts college position 43 Community college faculty 27 Other academic position 42 K-12 education position 26 Non-pro bit organization 28 Government 52 Industry 73 Self employed 22 Other position 3 INTEREST IN SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION Defining Interest in Secondary School Education There were three parts of the questionnaire that identified respondents' interest in a position in K-12 teaching or education.
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From page 31... ...
Nearly 37 percent of graduate students indicated having considered a career in secondary school education compared to 28 percent for postdoctoral fellows. However, 51 percent of respondents classified as "other" (Ph.D.s not in postdoctoral positions)
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From page 32... ...
Financial Considerations To understand better how financial considerations might affect career choices, we asked respondents to provide us with their current salary, the salary they expected at their immediate next step of employment, and the salary they expected seven years from now when, presumably, they would have settled into a stable career. We also asked respondents to provide us with the beginning salary they wouicl require if they were to assume a position as a secondary school teacher and the salary they would require after seven years in secondary school teaching.
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From page 33... ...
However, respondents who had demonstrated some prior interest in a position in secondary school education had significantly lower salary expectations for a position in secondary education than did those who had not considered or were not interested in a position in secondary school teaching. TABLE 2-5 Beginning Salary and Salary in Seven Years Required to Consider a Career in Secondary School Teaching by interest in a Position in Secondary School Education Interest in Secondary Average Starting Average Salary in School Education Salary Seven Yearsi Yes (N=245)
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From page 34... ...
12% TABLE 2-6 Percentage of Respondents Agreeing to Conditions for a Position as a Secondary School Science or Mathematics Teacher by Prior Interest in a Career Position in Secondary School Education I Would Consider Taking a Position as a Secondary School Science and Mathematics Interest in Position in Teacher if Secondary School Education Not Yes Considered (N=245)
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From page 35... ...
Respondents who had previously considered a position in secondary school education endorsed four of the scenarios. These include: .
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From page 36... ...
As part of the process for developing our survey questionnaire, we held a series of focus groups with graduate students and postcloctoral fellows on their career aspirations and interest in a position in secondary school education. Participants in the focus groups told us that there were five additional issues that would potentially affect whether some of them would consider a career in secondary school science and mathematics teaching.
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From page 37... ...
On the other hand, a number of respondents indicated that freedom to do as they pleased during the summer would make secondary school teaching attractive. A majority of respondents who had expressed an interest in secondary school education would consider a secondary school teaching position if they were guaranteed a summer fellowship in a research lab, including travel expenses.
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From page 38... ...
professional meetings without funding. TABLE 2-S Percentage of Respondents Attracted to Secondary School Teaching by Participation at Scientific Meetings and Interest in Secondary School Education _ T Would Consider Taking a Position as a Secondary School Science and Mathematics [merest in Position in Teacher if Seconc Nary School Ed Cation Not Yes Considered (N = 245)
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From page 39... ...
it is interesting to note that the duration of the assistance from an experienced teacher is not as important as the availability of assistance. TABLE 2-9 Percentage of Respondents Attracted to Secondary School Teaching by Interest in Mentonng and Interest in Secondary School Education _ ~ ~ Would Consider Taking a Position as a Secondary School Science and Mathematics Interest in Position in Teacher if Secondary School Education Not Yes Considered (N = 245)
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From page 40... ...
1~. For respondents who both had and had not previously considered a position in secondary school education, any commitment longer than two years was not conducive to considering secondary school teaching.
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From page 41... ...
science educational partnerships · Science specialist in a science resource center These positions were considered by more than three-quarters of respondents who had a prior interest in K-12 education and by more than half of those who had not previously considered K-12 education careers. More than half of all respondents indicated an interest in two other positions.
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From page 42... ...
Professional development (teaching science or 82 54 mathematics teachers) Science or mathematics specialist for a school 80 53 district Science resource teacher for an elementary or 55 28 secondary school K-6 science or mathematics teacher 26 11 Science Education Partnerships (university or 75 55 industry-based expertise for K- 12 classrooms)
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From page 43... ...
Support during teaching through a regional or university-based science teaching resource center that provided science kits, loaned laboratory equipment, and organized field opportunities for science experiments in which students could participate; and (4) The option of a two-year guaranteed postdoctoral research fellowship at the end of a two-year teaching commitment, in addition to the prestigious national fellowship.
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From page 44... ...
Finally, most respondents indicated that they were unwilling to commit initially to more than two years of teaching mathematics or science in a secondary school. Respondents who hack previously considered a position in secondary school education had lower salary expectations for a secondary school teaching position, both for beginning salaries and salaries anticipated in 7 years.
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