Collaborative Math: Creating Sustainable Excellence in Mathematics for Head Start Programs

该项目已提交给Discovery Research K-12（DRK-12）计划，该计划旨在通过研究和开发创新资源，模型和工具，显着提高PreK-12学生和教师对科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）的学习和教学。DRK-12计划中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究和先前的研究和开发工作的基础上，这些研究和开发工作为拟议项目提供了理论和经验依据。该项目将适应和研究一种有前途的和可复制的教师专业发展（PD）干预措施，称为协作数学（CM），用于幼儿教育计划。 CM内容将集中在学前数学中强调的九个主题，包括集合，数感，计数，数字运算，模式，测量，数据分析，空间关系和形状。 这些概念是围绕着早期数学中熟悉的大思想组织的，对幼儿理解数学是发展适当的和基础的。该项目解决了改善低收入儿童早期数学教学的迫切需要。准备作为通才，幼儿教师通常获得较少的数学知识，在职前培训比他们的同事在高年级，这降低了他们的教学mathematic. To教师PD需求的有效性，该项目将同时开发教师内容的知识，信心，并通过使用一个整体的教师方法的课堂实践。 同样，该项目将涉及教师，教师助理和管理人员通过整个学校的方法在PD，研究表明，这是更有效的，而不是只涉及领导教师。 通过几个阶段的开发和研究，该项目将调查项目组成部分对教师知识和课堂实践，学生数学知识和整体实施的贡献。该项目将影响大约200名开端（HS）教学人员，更好地准备他们提供优质的早期数学经验，超过3,000 HS儿童在项目期间。 在计划完成后，一系列经过测试的CM材料，如资源书籍和教学录像，将广泛提供给早期数学PD使用。评估工具，看看数学知识，态度和教师的做法也将提供。该项目建立在埃里克森研究所在早期数学PD和课程领域的研究和开发工作的基础上。 在为期四年的时间里，项目的发展和研究将分四个阶段进行：（1）调整现有的CM和研究措施，以适应HS背景;（2）对修订后的CM进行有限的实地研究，包括忠诚度和导演，教师/助手和学生的成果，以及研究照常（BAU）的比较组;（3）3期BAU组（在2期提供基线）干预承诺的承诺研究和（4）3期治疗组第2年可持续性干预的测试。教师和学生措施都已公布，是幼儿教育中经常使用的措施，在全面实施之前将进行试点和完善。该项目是埃里克森，SRI和芝加哥领先计划之间的合作伙伴关系。 项目研究和资源将广泛传播给决策者、研究人员和从业人员。

This project was submitted to the Discovery Research K-12 (DRK-12) program that seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models, and tools. Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects. The project will adapt and study a promising and replicable teacher professional development (PD) intervention, called Collaborative Math (CM), for use in early childhood programs. CM content will focus on nine topics emphasized in preschool mathematics, including sets, number sense, counting, number operations, pattern, measurement, data analysis, spatial relationships, and shape. These concepts are organized around Big Ideas familiar in early math, are developmentally appropriate and foundational to a young child's understanding of mathematics. The project addresses the urgent need for improving early math instruction for low-income children. Prepared as generalists, preschool teachers typically acquire less math knowledge in pre-service training than their colleagues in upper grades, which reduces their effectiveness in teaching math. To address teacher PD needs, the project will simultaneously develop teacher content knowledge, confidence, and classroom practice by using a whole teacher approach. Likewise, the project will involve teachers, teacher aides, and administrators through a whole school approach in PD, which research has shown is more effective than involving only lead teachers. Through several phases of development and research, the project will investigate the contributions of project components on increases in teacher knowledge and classroom practices, student math knowledge, and overall implementation. The project will impact approximately 200 Head Start (HS) teaching staff, better preparing them to provide quality early math experiences to more than 3,000 HS children during the project period. Upon the completion of the project, a range of well-tested CM materials such as resource books and teaching videos will be widely available for early math PD use. Assessment tools that look at math knowledge, attitudes, and teacher practice will also be available. The project builds on Erikson Institute research and development work in fields of early math PD and curriculum. Over a 4-year span, project development and research will be implemented in 4 phases: (1) adapting the existing CM and research measures for HS context; (2) conducting a limited field study of revised CM in terms of fidelity and director, teacher/aide, and student outcomes, and study of business as usual (BAU) comparison groups; (3) a study of the promise of the intervention promise with the phase 3 BAU group (who offered baseline in phase 2) and (4) a test of the 2nd year sustainability intervention with phase 3 treatment group. The teacher and student measures are all published, frequently used measures in early childhood education and will be piloted and refined prior to full implementation. The project is a partnership between Erikson, SRI, and Chicago Head Start programs. Project research and resources will be widely disseminated to policy makers, researchers, and practitioners.