Collaborative Research: Advancing Equity and Strengthening Teaching with Elementary Mathematical Modeling

学生们从他们的文化和社区的生活经验中为课堂带来了许多数学资产，特别是能够在日常生活中用数学模拟现实世界的情况。学生社区中许多与公平有关的挑战可以通过使用数学，特别是使用数学建模（使用数学资源和工具分析复杂的现实世界情况）来理解。支持教师在小学课堂上利用数学建模来推进公平问题，需要有针对性的教师专业发展（PD）。 促进公平和加强教学与初等数学建模是一个教师PD项目，重点是加强K-5教学与数学建模。在以前围绕数学建模和公平的基础工作的基础上，该项目将汇集以公平为导向的教学实践和数学建模，以设计和研究混合PD计划对教师实践的影响。该项目将包括视频增强的反思和在线辅导，除了面对面的PD组件。 使用五个关键空间小学数学建模作为一个框架，该项目将探讨如何在工具和结构，支持与关键空间在数学建模课的做法对齐，可以帮助教师推进公平参与和发展学生的数学建模能力。该项目将采用基于设计的实施研究（DBIR）的周期，研究PD的特征与教师实践、理解和倾向变化之间的关系。该项目将部署一个混合PD模型，包括面对面会议、辅导和基于视频的反思。将进行三个DBIR周期，从基于案例研究的设计周期开始，由项目工作人员促进的重点PD周期，以及由教师领导促进的全面PD周期。 在四个州的网站已被招募，代表了广泛的背景和学生人口统计。将创建与小学数学建模相关的六个专业学习模块。 该项目将使用被称为M2 C3-Scan的课程观察协议来评估教师实践的变化，为3-5年级的学生进行数学建模能力的学生前和后评估，为所有学生进行数学建模能力的形成性评估，并评估教师教学数学建模的信念和信心。 项目团队还将采访教师，收集实施日志，并使用教师注释的视频反思平台来分析课堂实践的变化。将对学生学习数据进行重复测量分析，并进行定性分析，以了解教师实践，能力和信念的变化。发现研究preK-12计划（DRK-12）旨在通过研究和开发创新资源，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。

Students bring many mathematical assets to the classroom from their life experiences in their cultures and communities, particularly with respect to being able to model real-world situations in their everyday lives with mathematics. Many equity-related challenges in students' communities can be understood through the use of mathematics and specifically the use of mathematical modeling (the analysis of complex real-world situations using mathematical resources and tools). Supporting teachers to make use of mathematical modeling in the elementary classroom to advance issues of equity will require targeted teacher professional development (PD). Advancing Equity and Strengthening Teaching with Elementary Mathematical Modeling is a teacher PD project focused on strengthening K-5 teaching with mathematics modeling. Building on previous foundational work around mathematics modeling and equity, this project will bring together equity oriented teaching practices and mathematical modeling to design and research the impact of a blended PD program on teacher practice. The project will include video-enhanced reflection and online mentoring in addition to face-to-face components of PD. Using five pivotal spaces for elementary mathematics modeling as a framework, the project will explore the ways in which tools and structures that support practices aligned with pivotal spaces in mathematics modeling lessons can help teachers advance equitable participation and develop student competencies in mathematics modeling. The project will engage in cycles of design-based implementation research (DBIR) to study the relationships between features of the PD and changes in teacher practice, understandings, and dispositions.The project will deploy a blended PD model that includes face-to-face sessions, coaching, and video-based reflection. Three DBIR cycles will be undertaken, starting with case study-based design cycles, focused PD cycles facilitated by project staff, and full-scale PD cycles facilitated by teacher leaders. Sites in four states have been recruited that represent a wide range of contexts and student demographics. Six professional learning modules related to elementary math modeling will be created. The project will use the lesson observation protocol known as M2C3-Scan to assess changes in teacher practice, conduct student pre and post assessments of mathematical modeling competencies for students in grades 3-5 and formative assessments of mathematical modeling competencies for all students, and assess beliefs and confidence of teachers teaching mathematical modeling. The project team will also interview teachers, collect implementation logs, and use a teacher-annotated video reflection platform to analyze changes in classroom practice. Repeated measures analyses will be conducted on student learning data, with cycles of qualitative analyses related to understand changes in teacher practices, competencies, and beliefs.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.