MIDDLE MATH: A Project to Improve the Undergraduate Preparation of Teachers of Middle Grade Mathematics

为了关注提高中学数学教师的本科准备，中学数学项目将举办两次夏季会议和一次学年研讨会。来自美国各地的40名数学家和数学教育工作者将合作开发中级认证或认可计划。在第一次会议期间，与会者将：探索目前正在开发的NSF中学年级数学课程；听取和回应开发者关于课程改革如何影响教师准备的观点；回顾过去的教师准备项目；分析NCTM和MAA的改革建议；以及反思相关研究。使用电子邮件，一个由研究数学家和数学教育工作者组成的团队将引导研讨会参与者集中关注中学教师应该体验的大学数学的性质。他们将回顾NSF资助的NCTM研究解读项目中的中学课文，并将与开发人员讨论过去NSF中学数学教师的准备项目。第二届夏季会议将成为变革的催化剂。参加者将探讨如何利用本科生数学学习研究来支持和促进课程发展。将建立工作组，帮助参与者审查和完善他们提出的方案模型、课程大纲和相关出版物的草稿。一名NSF项目官员将讨论为继续改革努力提供资金的潜在来源。中学数学专题专著将包括对选定的教师准备计划、课程大纲和相关论文的编辑描述。人们希望该项目将成为变革的催化剂。参与者将利用从学习NSF相关倡议中获得的知识来创建更合适的中学课程。

To focus attention on improving the undergraduate preparation of teachers of middle grades mathematics, the MIDDLE MATH Project will host two Summer conferences and an academic year seminar. Forty mathematicians and mathematics educators from across the United States will work collaboratively to develop middle grades certification or endorsement programs. During the first conference, participants will: explore the NSF Middle Grades Mathematics Curricula currently being developed; hear and react to the developers' perspectives on how curriculum change should affect teacher preparation; review past teacher preparation projects; analyze the NCTM and MAA recommendations for change; and reflect on relevant research. Using electronic mail, a team of research mathematicians and mathematics educators will guide seminar participants in a focused look at the nature of the college mathematics that middle grades teachers should experience. They will review the middle grades text from the NSF-funded NCTM Research Interpretation Project and will discuss the past NSF Middle-School Mathematics Teachers Preparation Projects with their developers. The second summer conference will serve as a catalyst for change. Participants will explore ways in which to use research on the learning of undergraduate mathematics to support and inform curriculum development. Working groups will be established to help the participants review and refine drafts of their proposed program models, course syllabi, and related publications. An NSF program officer will discuss potential sources for funding continued reform efforts. The MIDDLE MATH Project monograph will include edited descriptions of selected teacher preparation programs, course syllabi and related papers. It is hoped that the project will serve as a catalyst for change. Participants will use knowledge gained from learning of relevant NSF initiatives to create more appropriate middle grades programs.