Pathways to Preparing Future Mathematics Faculty to Transform Undergraduate Mathematics Teaching and Learning

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Graduate students in mathematics are often called on to teach sections of introductory courses ranging from college algebra, to precalculus, to calculus. In this project a team of mathematicians and mathematics education researchers are developing a sequence of courses and associated activities that support Ph.D. students in mathematics to adopt a scientific approach both to their teaching and to evaluating the effectiveness of the underlying curriculum. The intellectual merit of this effort lies in its use of previously developed research-based student and teacher materials that have been documented to transform precalculus and calculus teaching and learning. Based on this prior work the investigating team is creating a model education certificate program for mathematics graduate students that is envisioned to transform their teaching practice. Concurrent with these teaching experiences, students complete a sequence of courses and seminars in which they read select publications, review materials, and design and conduct small-scale research studies of student learning. These combined program components lay the groundwork for producing mathematics Ph.D. students who are prepared to take leadership roles in improving the teaching and learning of undergraduate mathematics. The project is exercising its broader impact both by engaging the faculty to change the culture and departmental infrastructure in the PI's own institution, and by serving as model for other departments of mathematics who can incorporate the education certification program into their graduate offerings, thus supporting pre-professional faculty development of their students.