Program History

Beginning in 1997, The University of Texas at Austin set out to effect long-term, systematic change in the way science and mathematics majors were being prepared for careers in secondary math or science education. The Dean of the College of Natural Sciences, Mary Ann Rankin, brought together a group of experienced secondary teachers and administrators and charged them to design an innovative teacher preparation program based on national standards, educational research, and their years of experience in the K-12 setting. As part of a substantially revised approach to teacher education called UTeach, the College of Natural Sciences employs several of the best high school science and math teachers in the state to lead the introductory UTeach courses and coordinate a range of on-going field-based experiences. To reinforce the value of such a career choice for students, the College of Natural Sciences pays the tuition for these introductory courses.

At the same time, the Dean of the College of Education, Manuel Justiz, undertook a major commitment to rebuild and strengthen the College's program in mathematics and science education. Under the leadership of Dr. Jere Confrey, mathematics and science education faculty made the decision to completely revise the professional development courses. They developed a three-course sequence that builds on research on student learning, the examination of standards-based curricula, the study of effective classroom interactions, and the development of models of teaching. Issues of technology use and effective approaches to equitable participation are embedded in all aspects of the program, culminating in students' teaching an entire unit in Project Based Instruction. In addition, the mathematics and science education faculty place students in high-need schools, where they learn firsthand of the needs, challenges and opportunities involved in these settings.

UTeach first began to develop connections with the national community engaged in improving teacher preparation through a National Science Foundation grant to develop a Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation. Reports to the NSF provided the initial impetus to gather detailed information on students, a practice that has informed UTeach ever since. These reports also document the early development of UTeach, as it grew from an idea into a fully realized program. During this time, faculty in the Colleges of Education and Natural Sciences worked closely together to generate a new set of core courses designed specifically for the UTeach program, paying particular attention to preparing teachers with effective strategies to work with all students in diverse settings, from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Further, these courses integrated mastery of the subject matter with inquiry-based methods of instruction and the use of modern technology for scientific discovery, with technology benchmarks integrated throughout the program. To help students gain proficiency in employing technology in their content instruction, the SBC Foundation generously funded a fully equipped technology lab for the use of UTeach students.

In the fall of 1997, 28 students entered the UTeach program. Our enrollment has grown rapidly ever since, attracting students from almost every college and major on the University of Texas at Austin campus. Click here for current information on enrollment. Retention rates for UTeach students have been far better than those of their undergraduate College of Natural Sciences peer group. This success is attributed to intensive field experiences, an emphasis on community that fosters close, collaborative relationships among participating students, and guidance from nationally recognized faculty and master teachers. UTeach graduates between 60-80 new science and mathematics teachers each year.