SBIR Phase I: Modern Apprenticeships for Math Educators

这个SBIR第一阶段项目建议开发一个在线视频共享平台，并将其商业化，以扩大数学教师的教育和培训。该平台嵌入了一种新颖的教学方法，结合了游戏化、基于算法的同行评审过程和社会学习技术。该平台允许有抱负的和新的数学教师通过经常练习、观察自己、观察他人以及同行和专家反馈循环来发展和磨练他们的教学技能。该项目的目标是测试该平台的原型，收集调查结果，并根据用户的体验迭代原型。该项目的更广泛/商业影响是为分散在美国各地的数学教师提供一个相互学习的平台，通过为教师提供多种机会来练习技能、观察自己、观察其他教师并与其他教师合作，以及向导师学习，从而加强他们的教学技能。这些步骤中的每一个都被认为是有效的教师培训的关键。最新研究的元分析表明，教师专业发展对学生学业成绩有显著的正向影响。与世界60个教育体系相比，美国的四年级数学成绩排名第九，八年级数学成绩排名第十二。拟议的培训平台是对低成本、高规模数学教师培训需求的创新回应。投资于创新的数学教师教育和培训将培养更高的学生在数学方面的成就，从而填补现有的高技能工作岗位，刺激创新，并在美国经济增长中发挥作用。

This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop and commercialize an online video-sharing platform that scales math teacher education and training. The platform embeds a novel pedagogical method that combines gamification, algorithm-based peer review processes, and social learning technologies. The platform allows aspiring and new math teachers to develop and hone their teaching skills through frequent practice, observation of self, observation of others, and peer and expert feedback loops. The goal for the project is to beta test a prototype of the platform, collect survey responses, and iterate the prototype in response to the users' experience.The broader/commercial impact of this project is to provide a platform for math teachers dispersed across the U.S. to learn from each other and strengthen their teaching skills by providing multiple opportunities for the teachers to practice skills, observe themselves, observe and collaborate with other teachers, and learn from mentors. Each of these steps has been identified as critical to effective teacher training. Recent meta-analyses of research show that teacher professional development has a significant positive effect on student achievement. Compared to 60 world education systems, the U.S. ranked ninth in fourth grade math and twelfth in eighth grade math. The proposed training platform is an innovative response to the need for low-cost, high-scale math teacher training. Investing in innovative math teacher education and training will foster higher student achievement in math and consequently, fill existing high skill jobs, spur innovation, and play a role in the growth of the U.S. economy.