IISME has conducted a variety of studies over the years to assess the impact of the Summer Fellowship Program on teachers. This page highlights four approaches:

 2011 Teacher and  Mentor Evaluation

Teacher Feedback

• 99% said it elevated their enthusiasm for teaching.                             
• 99% said it stimulated their thinking on ways to improve their teaching.                               
• 99% gained a greater understanding of the applications of science, math or technology in everyday life.
• 96% increased their knowledge of careers that utilize science, math or technology. 
• 96% said it increased their confidence as teachers.                               
• 99% reported their mentor was committed to providing opportunities to learn and gain expertise in
  new areas.
• 100% would recommend the IISME Summer Fellowship Program to their peers.            
• 95% became familiar with new materials and equipment that they could use in their teaching.

2011 Teacher Quotes

 “It is so wonderful to have this experience.  Not only does IISME reinforce my passion for teaching, it gives me the real-world experience that I can take back and use in the classroom to help my students become successful 21st century citizens.”

“Overall my IISME experience ranks as one of the highlights of my professional experience.  I felt valued and appreciated as an educator who had something positive and important to bring to the program.”

“This has been an absolutely life-changing event for me!  I came out of the experience more convinced of my excellent skills as an educator while also learning a tremendous amount.”

“This has been the best professional development experience for me.  I am ready to go back into the classroom and not only teach my students, but teach the teachers how effective, real collaboration can change our teaching practices.”

“I was thrilled to join a company on the cutting edge for the summer.  I hope to bring this technology and all its benefits to my district.”

“It was a great experience working in R&D and seeing how much patience you need to work there. I thought I would feel exhausted after the Fellowship, instead it energized me.”

“I had a wonderful, supportive Mentor who knows his stuff and provided great insight and guidance in helping me to learn some new tools and techniques.”

“This experience taught me so much about group work, organization, appropriate research techniques, reporting results, leading meetings, but most of all that Intel Corporation has amazing and passionate people who respect educators.”

“The opportunity to work with talented professionals on a daily basis toward a common math/science related goal was a total joy for me.”

“I've enjoyed the opportunity to immerse myself in the corporate culture.  It helps to affirm my love of teaching and teaching the necessary skills to my students to be successful in the corporate world.”

“I think anytime you teach a teacher, you have the exponential effect of disseminating that information.  Any time you make that experience one that is as collaborative, cutting-edge, and compelling as my placement at Stanford University, you have the "sweet spot" of professional development that will be hard to duplicate.”

“It was a great opportunity to learn a lot about current trends in science and technology and to meet and share ideas with other teachers.”

Mentor Feedback 

• 98% were pleased with the quality of work their Fellow produced.                                         
• 98% felt the IISME Summer Fellowship Program was worthwhile for themselves as Mentors.
• 99% would recommend their teacher for another Fellowship.   

2011 Mentor Quotes

“Our teacher was focused and professional throughout his time with us.  He was able to visualize the problem very well and work independently on the solution.” (The Aerospace Corporation)

“She was an incredible addition to my team for the 8 weeks she was here.  She jumped right in, learned a tremendous amount about lasers and about the communication technology we use, and became invaluable to me and my global team.” (Coherent Inc.)

“She was able to complete more than I expected.  She was eager to learn and taught us a few things as well.” (The Dow Chemical Company)

“I am exceedingly pleased with the work he did for us.  He produced high quality work and got everything accomplished that I asked.”  (Fairchild Semiconductor)

“He provided a great tool for us to use to provide new and continuous training to our workforce.  He also helped create a framework for our manufacturing instructions.” (FUJIFILM Dimatix)

“He delivered what I was looking for in terms of scientific results, and he knew how to deal with a complex situation.  I believe this teacher will contribute a lot to our society.” (Lawrence Berkeley
National Lab)

“She was a superb candidate for MoSys projects in that she was knowledgeable of our technology and could pick up technical material quickly.” (MoSys, Inc.)

“She quickly learned enough of the technology to get started.  She was persistent and innovative in her project.” (PLX Technology)

“Starting virtually from scratch and with very little background in the material, he worked diligently and produced a great piece of research for our organization.” (Silicon Valley Leadership Group)

“She did a great job bringing educational relevance to our work and did a nice job presenting to our client, in a use case, and at a seminar.” (SRI International)

“He had outstanding experience and knowledge specific to a particular area of work in my lab.  His contributions have significantly improved our work in this area.” (Santa Clara University)

“She was a fantastic contributor, as well as leader.  Her focus, questions, and efforts made the project successful.” (UC Berkeley)

2010 Teachers’ Perceived Impacts One Year Following Their Participation: 

• 95% implemented their Education Transfer Plans with their students.                  
• 98% became empowered in new ways.                                 
• 98% felt their teaching became more effective.                                 
• 95% implemented/applied new instructional practices.                                 
• 97% went back and experimented with new strategies.                                 
• 97% felt their IISME Fellowship made a positive impact on student learning.                  
• 98% noted positive changes in their teaching.                 
• 94% rated their Fellowship experience “the best” or “in the top 10%” of professional
  development available. 
• 95% reported an increased commitment to teaching.    
• 97% reported that their Fellowship deepened their grasp the subject that they teach.        
• 99% reported that their Fellowship met the needs of their current teaching assignments.

IISME Teacher Retention  and Program Impact 1985-2000

IISME released landmark teacher retention and long-term program impact study results on October 30, 2001. Among other positive outcomes, the study revealed that IISME teachers stay in teaching at a much higher rate than their peers. For the full report, click on Teacher Retention.

 National Board Certification

IISME alumni have achieved National Board Certification at more than three times the rate of their peers in California. This certification increasingly has come to define what it means to be a master teacher in the U.S.