Updated on: September 12, 2018

- Check out a webinar about this team's work.  
- Download Get the Facts Out, a user-friendly toolkit for changing the conversation around STEM teaching.

This Project Team worked to use facts and research to improve the perceptions of STEM teaching as a profession. Their members include the Colorado School of Mines, University of Northern Colorado, Michigan State University, Mathematical Association of America, TEACH, Breakthrough Collaborative, American Physical Society, West Virginia University Center for Excellence in STEM Education, American Chemical Society, and American Association of Physics Teachers.

Recent research has found that there are strongly held beliefs about the teaching profession, many of which are misperceptions. These discourage STEM undergraduates from exploring teaching as a viable career option, even when they have an interest. STEM faculty members also hold these misperceptions and either do not mention STEM instruction as a career to their undergraduate students or misrepresent the benefits and challenges of the career.

This team seeks to change these through the creation of the Get the Facts Out toolkit, research-aligned messaging and resources for math and science faculty, teachers, and recruiters to change the nature and frequency of conversations they have with their students and colleagues about middle and high school teaching. This booklet includes templates for presentations, brochures, and posters that can be easily contextualized for their program. With this, the team hopes to increase the number and diversity of undergraduate STEM majors in coming years.