Collaborative Research: Algebra Instruction at Community Colleges: Validating Measures of Quality Instruction

合作研究：社区学院的代数教学：验证质量教学的措施

• 批准号: 2000602
• 负责人: Vilma Mesa
• 金额: $ 101.95万
• 依托单位: Regents of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-09-15 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2000602&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Algebra; Instruction; Community

This STEM Learning and Learning Environments project seeks to advance understanding of algebra education at community colleges. It will build on prior work to explore further the relationship between the quality of instruction in college algebra classes and teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching. This “knowledge for teaching” is the mathematical understanding that teachers need in order to be effective teachers of mathematics. For example, this knowledge enables teachers to explore and diagnose why students are struggling with a mathematical concept and provide targeted help. Despite its critical role in US higher education, instruction at community colleges is a neglected sector of instructional capacity in the United States. To advance mathematics education research related to the first two years of college, this project will develop the Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Community College Algebra assessment. This assessment will identify the specialized knowledge that teachers need for teaching community college algebra in a way that supports student growth in thinking about fundamental mathematical concepts. The project will also advance previous work by refining the Evaluating the Quality of Instruction of Post-secondary Mathematics instrument, which assesses characteristics of high-quality instruction in community college algebra courses. These efforts will enhance the research tools available for studying post-secondary teaching at community colleges, specifically in College Algebra. Since college algebra is often a gateway course to STEM degrees, this project has the potential to improve the recruitment into and success of students in STEM fields and, thus, support STEM workforce development. The project involves four primary institutions: University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Maricopa Community College District, and Oregon State University. The primary goals of the proposed research are to: (1) develop, pilot, field test, validate, and disseminate the Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Community College Algebra assessment; (2) refine items in the Evaluating the Quality of Instruction of Post-secondary Mathematics video-coding instrument to address aspects of instruction that support diversity, equity, and inclusion in mathematics classrooms; and (3) theoretically and empirically explore the connection between the constructs that underlie both instruments. The project will use a mixed methods design that involves qualitative analysis of artifacts, item development, and psychometric testing, with the input of community college faculty in all the phases of the study, including integrating community college faculty as research associates, and thus building capacity for future research collaborations. At the conclusion of this project, two instruments will be available to support multiple efforts to advance the quality of instruction in postsecondary settings and the professional development of instructors. This project is supported by the EHR Core Research program, which supports work that advances fundamental research on STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM, and STEM workforce development.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这个STEM学习和学习环境项目旨在增进对社区大学代数教育的理解。它将在前人工作的基础上，进一步探索大学代数课堂教学质量与教师教学数学知识之间的关系。这种“用于教学的知识”是教师成为有效的数学教师所需要的数学理解。例如，这些知识使教师能够探索和诊断为什么学生在数学概念上苦苦挣扎，并提供有针对性的帮助。尽管社区大学在美国高等教育中起着至关重要的作用，但它在美国的教学能力中却是一个被忽视的部分。为了推进与大学头两年相关的数学教育研究，本项目将开展针对社区大学数学知识教学的评估。这项评估将确定教师教授社区大学代数所需的专业知识，以支持学生在思考基本数学概念方面的成长。该项目还将通过完善对社区大学代数课程高质量教学特点的评估--大专数学工具的教学质量评估来推进先前的工作。这些努力将加强可用于研究社区大学，特别是大学代数中的中学后教学的研究工具。由于大学代数通常是获得STEM学位的门户课程，该项目有可能提高STEM领域的学生招生和成功程度，从而支持STEM劳动力的发展。该项目涉及四个主要机构：密歇根大学、明尼苏达大学、马里科帕社区学院区和俄勒冈州立大学。这项研究的主要目标是：(1)开发、试点、实地测试、验证和传播用于社区大学代数教学评估的数学知识；(2)改进中学后数学视频编码工具教学质量评估的项目，以解决支持数学课堂多样性、公平性和包容性的教学方面；以及(3)从理论和经验上探索两种工具基础结构之间的联系。该项目将使用混合方法设计，涉及人工制品的定性分析、项目开发和心理测量测试，社区学院教师在研究的所有阶段都有投入，包括将社区学院教师整合为研究助理，从而为未来的研究合作建立能力。在该项目结束时，将有两个工具可用于支持提高中学后教学质量和教师专业发展的多种努力。该项目得到了EHR核心研究计划的支持，该计划支持推进STEM学习和学习环境的基础研究、扩大对STEM的参与以及STEM劳动力发展的工作。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

项目成果

Understanding the characteristics of mathematical knowledge for teaching algebra in high schools and community colleges

了解高中和社区大学代数教学的数学知识特点

• DOI: 10.1080/0020739x.2021.2006348
• 发表时间: 2021
• 期刊: International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology
• 影响因子: 0.9
• 作者: Ko, Inah;Mesa, Vilma;Duranczyk, Irene;Herbst, Patricio;Kohli, Nidhi;Ström, April;Watkins, Laura
• 通讯作者: Watkins, Laura