Science & Mathematics Integration for Literacy Enhancement (Project SMILE)

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The goals of STEM instruction are to educate a populace that is scientifically and mathematically literate and who can solve real-world problems by applying science and mathematics. Project SMILE (Science and Mathematics Integration for Literacy Enhancement) is an exploratory project to study the effectiveness of professional development focused on the integration of mathematics and science instruction, mediated by technology tools, to improve middle school teachers' ability to teach scientific inquiry and mathematical problem solving. The study also investigates the extent to which modern technology tools such as InspireData, a data visualization and analysis software, improves the integration. Twenty middle school science and mathematics teachers are recruited from schools near Appalachian State University to engage in activities designed to develop and implement modules that integrate science inquiry and mathematical problem solving using InspireData as a tool for gathering, organizing, analyzing, and visualizing data and processing conclusions about questions, issues, and concerns derived from real life situations relevant to student's lives. The Iowa Chautauqua Model of professional development is used to organize the three week summer institute and academic year on-line courses through MOODLE. Teacher surveys and SCOOP notebooks are used as pre-post data sources and a modified RTOP is used for classroom observation to test hypotheses and