Targeted Infusion Project: Improving Minority STEM Majors' Mathematics Performance through Algebra Project Pedagogy and Cognitive Training

历史上的黑人学院和大学本科项目（HBCU- up）通过有针对性的输液项目支持基于证据的创新模式和方法的开发、实施和研究，以提高HBCU本科生的准备和成功，使他们可以攻读STEM研究生课程和/或职业。弗吉尼亚州立大学（VSU）的这个项目旨在开发、实施和测试一系列代数项目教学技术和大学代数和微积分预科课程的内容材料的影响，以及在VSU之前的研究中试点的认知训练技术。该项目旨在解决该机构大学代数课程不合格率约为40%的问题。如果不通过这些课程，学生就无法学习微积分，而微积分是科学、技术、工程和数学学科学生的必修数学课程。该项目由正在进行的评估指导。本项目将评估由代数项目开发的大学数学概念架构的实施效果，该架构适用于大学代数和预微积分水平的学生，并有可能加深和加强学生对课程内容的理解，为未来的微积分学习提供坚实的概念和程序基础。同时，本项目将研究STEM成功对工作记忆认知训练的影响。该项目的研究设计将是准实验的，将三个大学代数和一个微积分预科班随机分配到治疗条件，四个班随机分配到控制条件。依赖的衡量标准包括课程成绩、数学能力的标准化评估、态度变化、动机和参与程度以及学期平均成绩。初始数据将用协方差的因子多变量分析进行分析。认知和社会心理变量对数学成绩的影响将使用结构方程模型进行分析。这是第一次研究代数项目教学法在大学水平上的影响。这项研究的结果将被广泛传播到其他高等教育机构，特别是那些有学生进入大学，但不准备学习微积分的机构。

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) through Targeted Infusion Projects supports the development, implementation, and study of evidence-based innovative models and approaches for improving the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may pursue STEM graduate programs and/or careers. The project at Virginia State University (VSU) seeks to develop, implement and test the impact of a series of Algebra Project pedagogical techniques and content material in College Algebra and pre-Calculus courses, as well as cognitive training techniques that have been piloted in previous studies at VSU. The project aims to address the problem of the failure rate in College Algebra courses at the institution, which is at about 40%. Failing these courses prevents students from taking Calculus, which is the prerequisite mathematics sequence for students majoring in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines. The project is guided by an on-going evaluation.This project will assess the efficacy of implementing a conceptual architecture for college mathematics developed by the Algebra Project which is accessible to students at the level of College Algebra and pre-Calculus, and which has the potential to deepen and strengthenstudents' understanding of the course content and provide a solid conceptual and procedural foundation for the future study of Calculus. At the same time, the project will study the impact on cognitive training of working memory associated with STEM success. The research design for the project will be quasi-experimental, with three College Algebra and one pre-Calculus classes randomly assigned to the treatment condition, and four classes randomly assigned to the control condition. Dependent measures include course grades, standardized assessment of mathematics ability, attitudinal change, level of motivation and engagement, and semester grade point average. Initial data will be analyzed with a factorial multivariate analysis of covariance. The impact of the cognitive and psychosocial variables on mathematics performance will be analyzed using structural equation modeling. This is the first study of the impact of the Algebra Project pedagogy at the college level. Results from the study will be broadly disseminated to other institutions of higher education, particularly those that have students entering college, but not prepared to take Calculus.