Collaborative Research: Leveraging Simulations in Preservice Preparation to Improve Mathematics Teaching for Students with Disabilities

让普通教育教师做好支持残疾学生数学学习的准备至关重要，因为残疾学生在数学成绩较低的学生中所占比例过高。该项目旨在通过开发和使用混合现实模拟来解决小学数学教师准备方面的这一需求。 这些模拟代表了低风险的机会，为在职教师实践研究为基础的教学策略，以支持数学学习，并收到反馈意见，他们的做法。使用模拟的学习单元将集中在两个高杠杆的做法：教师建模的自我监控和反思策略，在解决问题和使用策略指导，教学生支持解决问题。这些高杠杆教学实践将支持教师让所有学生，包括残疾学生，参与概念复杂的数学，其中学生被视为意义创造者，并被赋予以文化上有意义的方式做数学的能力。 第一个目标是围绕数学教育和特殊教育社区的高杠杆实践的共同定义达成共识。 为了实现这一目标，该项目将召集一系列与数学教育和特殊教育专家建立共识的小组，以制定两个有针对性的高杠杆实践的共同定义。 这项工作将包括参与目前的研究，小组讨论，并与规范的做法文件的生产。第二个目标是开发基于混合现实模拟的初等数学方法课程的学习单元。这些模拟将允许教师候选人与模拟学生一起制定高杠杆实践，并接受研究团队对其实践的指导。这项工作的影响将通过与教师教育工作者实施的单位和观察和实施工件的访谈分析进行评估。第三个目的是通过小规模的随机对照试验，评估模拟对教师候选人的做法和信念的有效性。教师候选人将被随机分配到解决实践和利用模拟的条件，以及专注于课程规划，学生评估和高杠杆实践的小组讨论的照常条件。这项工作的影响将通过分析基线和退出模拟，教师教学残疾学生的自我效能的措施，并在其临床安置设置课堂教学的观察进行评估。发现研究preK-12计划（DRK-12）旨在显着提高科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）的preK-12学生和教师，通过研究和开发创新的资源，模型和工具。DRK-12项目中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究以及为拟议项目提供理论和经验依据的先前研究和开发工作的基础上。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The preparation of general education teachers to support the mathematics learning of students with disabilities is critical, as students with disabilities are overrepresented in the lower ranks of mathematics achievement. This project aims to address this need in the context of elementary mathematics teacher preparation through the development and use of mixed reality simulations. These simulations represent low-stakes opportunities for preservice teachers to practice research-based instructional strategies to support mathematics learning, and to receive feedback on their practices. Learning units that use the simulations will focus on two high leverage practices: teacher modeling of self-monitoring and reflection strategies during problem solving and using strategy instruction to teach students to support problem solving. These high-leverage teaching practices will support teachers engaging all students, including students with disabilities, in conceptually sophisticated mathematics in which students are treated as sense-makers and empowered to do mathematics in culturally meaningful ways.The project work encompasses three primary aims. The first aim is to develop a consensus around shared definitions of high-leverage practices across the mathematics education and special education communities. To accomplish this goal, the project will convene a series of consensus-building panels with mathematics education and special education experts to develop shared definitions of the two targeted high leverage practices. This work will include engaging with current research, group discussion, and production of documents with specifications for the practices. The second aim is to develop learning units for elementary mathematics methods courses grounded in mixed reality simulation. These simulations will allow teacher candidates to enact the high leverage practices with simulated students and to receive coaching on their practice from the research team. The impact of this work will be assessed through the analysis of interviews with teacher educators implementing the units and observations and artifacts from the implementations. The third aim will be to assess the effectiveness of the simulations on teacher candidates’ practices and beliefs through small-scaled randomized control trials. Teacher candidates will be randomly assigned to conditions that address the practices and make use of simulations, and a business as usual condition focused on lesson planning, student assessment, and small group discussions of the high leverage practices. The impact of the work will be assessed through the analysis of baseline and exit simulations, measures of teacher self-efficacy for teaching students with disabilities, and observations of classroom teaching in their clinical placement settings.The Discovery Research preK-12 program (DRK-12) 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.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.