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For more information on these science news and feature story tips, please contact the public information officer at the end of each item at (703) 292-8070. Editor: Bill Noxon Contents of this News Tip:
Recent Science and Engineering Ph.D.s Who Wanted to Teach Find Other Career OptionsAlmost two-thirds of recent science and engineering Ph.D. recipients entered graduate school with plans to make teaching their career choice. However, a much smaller percentage of these advanced degree-holders actually accepted an academic position in the first critical years after obtaining their doctorates, according to a National Science Foundation (NSF) survey. About 64 percent of the new Ph.D.-holding scientists and engineers (who received doctorates between 1990 and 1996) indicated that teaching was their career choice when they entered graduate school. But by the time they entered the workplace, only 47 percent had accepted positions in the academic sector. The picture of academic employment for recent science and engineering (S&E) doctorate holders was reported in a new NSF Issue Brief from the Division of Science Resources Statistics. The brief says that among this surveyed Ph.D. group, life science doctorate holders were the most likely to accept positions in academe, while engineers were least likely to do so. Overall, these S&E professionals entered non-academic positions at a higher rate (49 percent) than those who had gone into the academic community. [Bill Noxon] For the entire Issue Brief, see: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/issuebrf/nsf01332/start.htm Teachers Improving Use of Standards-Based Instruction, Urban School Survey ConcludesTeachers in urban K-12 school districts where systemwide reform in mathematics and science education has been undertaken are using standards-based instruction nearly half the time, and most are actively pursuing professional development opportunities. The conclusion is from an analysis of the 1999 and 2000 Survey of Enacted Curriculum, a component of a larger study by Systemic Research, Inc., that is evaluating school systems under NSF's Urban Systemic Initiatives (USI). The USI effort began in 1993 to help implement major K-12 mathematics and science education reform in more than 20 major cities. The 1999-2000 curriculum survey evaluated teaching practices, curriculum and subject content, and teachers' professional development and preparation in Baltimore, Dallas, Detroit, Phoenix, Columbus (Ohio), Fresno (Calif.), Memphis and Philadelphia. The survey found that 80 to 90 percent of teachers in these urban school systems were actively involved in professional development. Science teachers with the highest levels of professional development, especially at the elementary school level, report greater use of multiple student assessments. Also, state and district frameworks, or standards, for science had a much greater positive influence on curriculum than texts, materials, professional development or state tests. The conclusion was much the same for math, except that district testing had a more positive influence on math curriculum development. The survey was designed by a collaboration of experts from the Council of Chief State School Officers, NSF, the National Institute for Science Education at the University of Wisconsin and participating states. [Bill Noxon] For more information, see: http://www.systemic.com
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