Noyce Recipients Interview Protocol for Recipients Still in Teacher Certification Program

DRAFT: Interview Protocol for Noyce Recipients Who are Currently Students
(target time = 30 minutes)
Objective: To better understand when recipient decided to go into teaching; whether they would have
considered teaching if it weren’t for Noyce; how they found out about Noyce; aspects of Noyce program
recipients find most/least valuable during teacher certification; and which program components recipients
perceive to be most helpful in preparing for challenges found in teaching in high-need schools.

Section I: Background Information about Recipient
1. [Recap information from Recipient’s survey and asks Recipient to verify that it is accurate]
a) Background information (school, major(s), certification area, degree);
b) Scholarship info (length/amount);
c) Current student type (undergrad, career changer, etc)

Section II: The Noyce Program and Your Teacher Certification Program
The Noyce Program
2. How did you hear about the Noyce program and its scholarship?
3. Tell me about your experience with the Noyce scholarship application process. Did you find the
content and time required to complete the application appropriate? Why or why not?
4. [Recap Noyce program components recipient listed on survey]. Ask participant to briefly describe
each Noyce program component.
5. How has being a Noyce scholar influenced your experience in your teacher certification program?
a) Course load/time management;
b) Research/internships experience;
c) Learning about working with high-need populations and/or different cultures;
d) Student teaching experiences;
e) Access to mentors;
f) Access to Education faculty (probe: How involved were Education Dept professors in
your teacher certification program/Noyce?);
g) Access to STEM faculty (probe: How involved were STEM professors in your teacher
certification program/Noyce)?);
h) Career placement;
i) Quality of your overall student experience?
Your Teacher Certification Program
6. a) What are the most positive and helpful aspects of your teacher certification program in general?
b) What aspects of your teacher certification program in general do you think could be improved?
[if not mentioned, probe for: STEM content-knowledge; teaching pedagogy; classroom management]

Section III: Choosing a Teaching Career
7. When did you decide to become a teacher?
8. What drove your decision to become a teacher? (Probes: finances, rewards associated with teaching,
mentors, etc.)
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Interview Protocol for Noyce Recipients--Currently Students

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9. What drove your decision to pursue a career in a high-need school?
10. Have your reasons for pursuing a teaching career changed since the time when you first decided to
become a teacher? If so, tell me about this change and when it occurred.
11. Would you have chosen to teach if you had not received a Noyce scholarship? Why or why not?

Section IV: Your Future Teaching Career
Overview of Your Plans
12. Tell me about your plans for your career during your Noyce Teaching commitment?
13. Are you planning to teach in a high-need school when you complete your certification? (Yes/No)
a) If “yes”: Are there any particular types of schools you’re specifically interested in
teaching at (in addition to teaching in a high-need as required by Noyce)?
b) If “no”: Tell me about how and why you made this decision. How will the Noyce
Scholarship repayment clause affect you?
14. What are you most excited about when you look towards your future teaching career?
15. What are you most concerned about when you look towards your future teaching career?
Noyce/Teacher Certification Program – Preparation for Your Teaching Career:
16. How is your teacher certification program and the Noyce Program preparing you for the challenges
of teaching in a high-need school?
a) What are the most helpful components?
b) Is this level of support sufficient?
17. What else do you think your teacher certification program and/or the Noyce Program could be doing
to better prepare you for dealing with the challenges of teaching in a high-need school?
18. [Check survey response to see if student is within one year of degree completion. If “no”, skip to Item
19, if “yes”, ask following question] In general, how involved has your teacher certification program
and the Noyce program been in helping you job search for your upcoming teaching career? How have
you been supported during this process?
Your Long-Term Intentions
19. A. Currently, what are your plans for your career once you’ve completed your Noyce Teaching
commitment? Do you envision yourself continuing to teach in a high needs school after you’ve
completed your Noyce teaching commitment? Why or why not?
20. A. Are you considering obtaining any additional education-related degrees and/or certifications in the
long-term?
a) If yes, which degree/certification?
b) If yes, when would you pursue this degree/certification?
c) If yes, why did you decide to pursue an additional degree/certification?

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Interview Protocol for Noyce Recipients--Currently Students

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Anything else?
21. Is there anything else we haven’t talked about during this interview that you think would be important
for me to know about the Noyce Program, your teacher certification program, or your future plans?

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Interview Protocol for Noyce Recipients--Currently Students

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