Math Matters: Improving Elementary Mathematics Teacher Education in Nebraska

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Mathematical Sciences (21) Math Matters is redesigning the UNL elementary teacher education curriculum in mathematics to increase the number and diversity of elementary (K-6) teachers with strengths in mathematics that enables them to teach mathematics grounded in best practices as defined by NCTM Standards. In this adaptation project mathematics faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences are collaborating with education faculty in Teachers College to develop a challenging 15-hour, yearlong block of courses combining mathematics content, pedagogy, and field experiences. In addition, three new mathematics courses are slated to be created and a second methods course redesigned to challenge students to develop a deeper understanding of the mathematics taught in elementary schools and how to teach it. Special attention is being paid to integrating technology into all courses developed by the project. Material from a variety of sources is being adapted, including results from NSF-DUE sponsored projects at Kansas State (#9050015) and the Oregon Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (#9653970), and instructional materials from several NSF-ESIE projects: "Math Trailblazers", "Everyday Mathematics", and "Investigations in Number, Data, and Space". Each year a cohort of 22 students (one-sixth of the students admitted annually to the elementary education program) is being recruited to take the 15-hour Math Matters block and to pursue a mathematics concentration. The recruitment plan pays special attention to increasing the diversity of students who enroll. Working with cooperating K-6 teachers, a mentoring and induction program is being implemented to support the program's graduates as they begin their teaching careers. The Math Matters block is expected to be fully implemented into elementary teacher education at UNL after the end of NSF support. A conference in the third year of the grant is planned to help disseminate results of the grant to other colleges. The primary DUE themes addressed are teacher preparation with attention paid to the integration of technology in education and increasing the diversity of elementary teachers with strengths in mathematics.