Investigating the Effect of Professional Development, Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching, and Instruction on Student Outcomes

哈佛大学、密歇根大学和杨百翰大学的研究人员正在对数学知识教学（MKT）、教学实践和学生成绩之间的关系进行研究。 MKT的研究是嵌入在数学解决方案专业发展模式的有效性的研究。 Math Solutions是由Marilyn Burns创立的一家广泛使用的专业开发提供商。 这项研究建立在研究小组的工作，与早期的工作不同，在12个阿尔伯克基，NM学校的80个四年级和五年级的教师被随机分配到治疗组或对照组。随机化发生在学校的年级内。数学解决方案为治疗组的教师提供专业发展，重点关注MKT。 对照组的教师接受该地区提供的典型专业发展。 这包括暑期数学研究所和三到六个小时的日常数学介绍的组合，日常数学是研究中学校使用的教学材料。研究问题如下。与典型的特设数学专业发展相比，数学解决方案的有效性如何？ 数学解决方案能改善教师吗？MKT，他们的教学质量，和/或他们的学生？成果？教师的不同方面是怎样的？与学生成绩有关的数学知识和教学？ 教师MKT是通过学习数学教学（由PI和同事开发的工具）来衡量的，学生成绩是通过最近由PI在NSF支持下开发的评估来衡量的。 课堂观察和视频提供了课堂教学的数据。

Researchers at Harvard University, the University of Michigan, and Brigham Young University are conducting research on the relationship between mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT), teaching practice, and student outcomes. The study of MKT is embedded in a study of the effectiveness of the Math Solutions professional development model. Math Solutions is a widely used professional development provider started by Marilyn Burns. The study builds on work of the research team and differs from earlier work in that 80 fourth and fifth grade teachers in twelve Albuquerque, NM schools are randomly assigned to either the treatment group or the control group. Randomization occurs within grades within schools. Math Solutions provides teachers in the treatment group professional development that has a strong focus on MKT. Teachers in the control group receive the typical professional development offered by the district. This consists of a combination of summer mathematics institutes and three-to-six hour introductions to Everyday Mathematics, the instructional materials used by the schools in the study.The research questions are as follows. How effective is Math Solutions as compared to typical ad-hoc mathematics professional development? Does Math Solutions improve teachers? MKT, the quality of their instruction, and/or their students? outcomes? How are different aspects of teachers? mathematical knowledge and instruction related to student achievement? Teacher MKT is measured by Learning Mathematics for Teaching (instruments developed by the PI and colleagues) and student achievement is measured by assessments developed recently by the PI with NSF support. Classroom observations and video provide data on classroom instruction.