Collaborative Research: Solving Problems of Mathematics Accessibility with Process-Driven Math

协作研究：用过程驱动的数学解决数学可及性问题

• 批准号: 1726869
• 负责人: Matthew Ragland
• 金额: $ 29.82万
• 依托单位: Auburn University at Montgomery
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2017-08-15 至 2022-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1726869&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Solving; Problems; Mathematics

To meet the needs of the STEM workforce, as well as to continue to have an educated citizenry, undergraduate mathematics instruction must be effective for all segments of the population. This project will center on college algebra for students who are blind or visually impaired (BVI) and those who have other print disabilities. These populations have historically been underserved by college mathematics pedagogies. Investigators at Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) have developed an innovative, evidence-based method of mathematics instruction and assessment, called Process-Driven Math (PDM), which substantially reduces barriers to participation for this population. The PDM method is based on an interactive auditory/verbal exchange of language between the student and a human intermediary who functions as both reader and scribe. For this project, AUM is partnering with Rice University, Auburn University, and Bridge Multimedia to investigate the benefits of PDM for teaching as well as assessing student learning. The research and development activities will focus specifically on college algebra courses, with related attention to algebra courses at schools for the blind. Those activities will be conducted at four institutions of higher education, including one two-year college, and three state schools for the blind. The project will be conducted by a multi-disciplinary team with expertise in mathematics, mathematics education, special education, education research, and mathematics accessibility.The specific objective of the project is to further develop, test, refine, and prepare Process-Driven Math for scaling to improve mathematics learning for all students (students with and without disabilities; STEM and non-STEM majors). The enormity of syntax in algebraic expressions creates barriers (e.g., cognitive load) for many students with disabilities who access their mathematics by listening to it. The PDM method employs chunking, which reduces the cognitive load on working memory for mathematics students who are BVI. Inherent in the method are bases in Universal Design for Learning (providing various methods of engagement, representation, action, and expression) and User-Centered Design (engaging users to gain firsthand perspectives of their needs and desires in order to design and develop tools that will optimally meet their needs). The research will address questions related to students' mathematics self-efficacy, students' mathematical errors, students' perceptions of mathematics education, and how college faculty tend to approach teaching mathematics to students who are BVI. Using a mixed-methods approach with self-efficacy assessments, learning assessments, focus groups, and interviews, the study will consider variables such as: students' majors (STEM versus non-STEM), students' disability status demographics (students with disabilities [blind/visually impaired or other print disabilities] compared to students without disabilities), instruction using PDM vs. Nemeth (or other mathematical braille), and use of user-centered design.

为了满足STEM劳动力的需求，以及继续拥有受过教育的公民，本科数学教学必须对人口的所有部分都有效。这个项目将以大学代数为中心，为盲人或视障(BVI)学生和那些有其他打印障碍的学生提供服务。从历史上看，这些人群一直得不到大学数学教育的帮助。奥本大学蒙哥马利分校(AUM)的研究人员开发了一种创新的、基于证据的数学教学和评估方法，称为过程驱动数学(PDM)，它极大地降低了这一群体的参与障碍。该方法是建立在学生和既是读者又是抄写员的人类中间人之间的语言的交互式听觉/口头交流的基础上的。在这个项目中，AUM正在与莱斯大学、奥本大学和Bridge多媒体合作，调查PDM在教学和评估学生学习方面的好处。研究和开发活动将特别侧重于大学代数课程，并相关关注盲人学校的代数课程。这些活动将在四所高等教育机构进行，包括一所两年制大学和三所公立盲人学校。该项目将由一个拥有数学、数学教育、特殊教育、教育研究和数学可达性专业知识的多学科团队进行。该项目的具体目标是进一步开发、测试、改进和准备过程驱动的数学，以供扩展，以改善所有学生(残疾和非残疾学生；STEM和非STEM专业的学生)的数学学习。代数表达式中庞大的句法给许多残疾学生带来了障碍(例如，认知负荷)，他们通过听来获取他们的数学。该方法采用组块法，降低了BVI数学系学生的工作记忆认知负荷。该方法固有的基础是通用学习设计(提供各种参与、表现、动作和表达方法)和以用户为中心的设计(让用户获得他们的需求和愿望的第一手观点，以便设计和开发将以最佳方式满足他们需求的工具)。研究将涉及学生的数学自我效能感、学生的数学错误、学生对数学教育的看法，以及大学教师如何倾向于向BVI学生教授数学。研究采用自我效能评估、学习评估、焦点小组和访谈的混合方法，将考虑以下变量：学生的专业(STEM与非STEM)、学生的残疾状况人口统计(与非残疾学生相比，残疾学生[盲人/视障或其他打印障碍学生])、使用PDM与Nemeth(或其他数学盲文)的教学，以及使用以用户为中心的设计。

项目成果

Solving Problems of Mathematics Accessibility with Process-Driven Math: Methods and Implications

用过程驱动的数学解决数学可及性问题：方法和启示

• 发表时间: 2018
• 期刊: ASEE annual conference & exposition proceedings
• 作者: Phillips, C.M.L.;Gulley, A.P.;Pearson, Y.E.;Smith, L.E.;Eyler, J.;Noble, S.;Ragland, M.;Price, J.;Shethia, A.K.;Perez, L.
• 通讯作者: Perez, L.