UWF-Teach Noyce Scholars participate during their junior or senior years in a citizen education research project (i.e. lionfish prey, microplastics in water and marine life) to assist and prepare for working with high needs school districts. The citizen education project consists of a team of two UWF-Teach Noyce Scholars, a University Math or Science faculty member, and a middle or high school STEM teacher. The team spends 40 to 60 hours collaborating on the design of a project-based learning unit of instruction for the STEM teacher’s students. The team develops an investigatory protocol and associated lessons to build student knowledge and research skills. The first phase, conceptualization, piques student interest in the project and identifies prior knowledge through an entry event. The second phase of the unit involves instruction, where students build understanding and knowledge through focused instruction. The third phase, discussion, provides an opportunity for students to construct explanations, engage in argument from evidence, and communicate information. The final phase, evaluation, provides a mechanism for determining students’ conceptual understanding and identifying the proficiency of students' scientific practices. The citizen education projects are part of the UWF-Teach program, a collaboration between the Education and STEM departments at the University of West Florida (UWF), which recruits and develops highly qualified STEM teachers. The citizen education project provides UWF-Teach Noyce Scholars a basis for engaging their future grades 6-12 students. UWF-Teach Noyce Scholars will teach in high-needs schools thus broadening interest and participation of their students to pursue STEM careers.

NSF Awards: 1660615