Using Math Pathways & Pitfalls to Promote Algebra Readiness

项目摘要使用数学途径和陷阱促进代数准备是一个为期4年的完整的研究和开发项目，为初中生和教师的专业发展创建了一套支持早期代数学习的材料。该研究的目标是：1)开发一本关于代数准备内容和技能的MPP书籍和配套材料；2)调查MPP如何转变教学实践以提高学生的代数准备和元认知技能；3)通过大规模的随机对照试验，验证MPP对提高学生代数准备的有效性。迭代设计和有效性研究产生基于研究的材料，以增加学生对代数准备的核心概念的学习。虽然该项目的重点是代数准备，但该研究也检验了MPP教学方法的有效性。MPP课程结构旨在通过意义构建、课堂讨论和多种视觉表现的使用，帮助学生直面常见的误解，即所谓的“陷阱”。如果MPP的教学方法被证明是成功的，那么课程结构可以作为一个有效的教学框架，延伸到数学和其他学科的其他内容领域。该项目解决了教育中的关键需求，潜在影响很大。美国的数学成绩跟不上国际成绩。目前的项目重点是代数准备技能，这是一个对未来数学成功至关重要的领域。代数通常是通向更高级数学的看门人，而代数的表现与大学的成功和长期的收入潜力有关。纵向研究表明，上过严格的高中数学课程的学生大学毕业的可能性是没有上过这门课的学生的两倍。因此，为学生学习代数做好充分的准备可以极大地影响学生的教育结果。目前的项目扩大了人数不足的学生群体在数学和后来的科学课程中的参与，这些课程需要强大的数学技能。干预建立在材料和教学技术的基础上，这些材料和教学技术已经为不同的学生证明了积极的结果。目标地区有大样本的英语学习者和来自STEM中传统上代表性较低的群体的学生，以便我们可以评估干预对这些人群的影响。在计划结束时，教师和地区可通过我们的网站www.wested.org/mpp随时获得出版的优质材料。

Project SummaryUsing Math Pathways & Pitfalls to Promote Algebra Readiness is a 4-year Full Research and Development project that creates a set of materials for middle grades students and teacher professional development that would support the learning of early algebra. Building on their prior work with an elementary version, the efficacy study focuses on the implementation of the principals underlying the materials, fidelity of use of the materials, and impact on students' learning.The project's goals are to: 1) develop an MPP book and companion materials dedicated to algebra readiness content and skills, 2) investigate how MPP transforms pedagogical practices to improve students' algebra readiness and metacognitive skills, and 3) validate MPP's effectiveness for improving students' algebra readiness with a large-scale randomized controlled trial.The iterative design and efficacy studies produce research-based materials to increase student learning of core concepts in algebra readiness. Though the focus of the project is algebra readiness, the study also examines the validity of the pedagogical approach of MPP. The MPP lesson structures are designed to help students confront common misconceptions, dubbed "pitfalls," through sense-making, class discussions, and the use of multiple visual representations. If the pedagogical approach of MPP proves to be successful, the lesson structures can be presented as an effective framework for instruction that extends to other content areas in mathematics and other disciplines.The project addresses a critical need in education, and the potential impact is large. Math achievement in the U.S. is not keeping pace with international performance. The current project focuses on algebra readiness skills, an area that is critical for future success in mathematics. Algebra often serves as a gatekeeper to more advanced mathematics, and performance in algebra has been linked to success in college and long-term earnings potential. Longitudinal studies indicate that students taking rigorous high school mathematics courses are twice as likely to graduate from college as those who do not. Thus, adequately preparing students for algebra can dramatically affect educational outcomes for students. The current project broadens the participation of underrepresented groups of students in math and later science classes that require strong math skills. The intervention builds on materials and pedagogical techniques that have demonstrated positive outcomes for diverse students. The targeted districts have large samples of English language learners and students from groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM so that we may evaluate the impact of the intervention on these populations. At the end of the project, the publication quality materials will be readily available to teachers and districts through our website www.wested.org/mpp.