The Accessible Calculus Project: Advancing Equity by Democratizing Access to Advanced Mathematics

该项目是一个为期三年的研究合作项目，涉及代数项目、肯尼索州立大学STEM教育研究创新中心和全国黑人工程师协会。该项目旨在证明数学课程的设计、教学和实践方式会影响微积分的学习和成功。该项目将与两组数学教师及其学生合作，在高中代数II的背景下介绍和发展微积分的概念。这种方法有可能提高所有学生的定量素养水平，并增加准备微积分和stem的学生数量。该项目的主要目标是在代数项目的多项式微积分和五步课程过程的基础上，开发一个全面的、符合标准的代数II课程。微分和积分的几何介绍不需要分析机制。文化响应的五步过程强调学生的声音，利用自然语言来发展对抽象数学概念的有意义的、相互关联的理解。第二个目标是通过这种合作课程开发来提高参与的教师和学生的知识和技能。教师和学生都将对数学有更深的理解，而教师也将学习文化响应教学法和课程设计。最后，该项目旨在鼓励参与者认识到他们的声音和专业知识，在数学或数学教育中获得能动性和积极的身份。根据参与式行动研究的原则，青年、教师和专家研究团队将开发案例研究，以检查项目参与者中声音、代理和身份的出现。此外，专家研究小组将确定学生和教师掌握微分和积分基本概念的程度，并确定在正式和非正式学习环境中数学教学实践中学生和教师认为有价值的关键要素。这个合作项目是通过STEM教育中的种族平等活动（EDU种族平等）资助的。该活动支持研究和实践项目，调查种族平等因素如何影响科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）教育和劳动力的改善。获奖项目旨在将STEM企业中受系统性不平等影响最大的个人、社区和机构的声音、知识和经验集中起来。这项活动符合美国国家科学基金会的核心价值，即支持来自全国不同人口群体、地区和组织类型的杰出研究人员和创新思想家。EDU的项目为种族平等活动提供资金，以表彰其项目与董事会四个部门的集体研究和发展重点相一致。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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。

This project is a three-year research collaboration involving the Algebra Project, the Center for Innovation in STEM Education Research at Kennesaw State University, and the National Society of Black Engineers. The project aims to demonstrate that the way in which mathematics curriculum is designed, taught, and practiced impacts access to and success in Calculus. The project will work with two teams of math teachers and their students to introduce and develop the concepts of Calculus in the context of high school Algebra II. This approach has the potential to raise the level of quantitative literacy for all students and increase the pool of Calculus-ready and hence STEM-ready students.The primary goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive, standards-aligned Algebra II curriculum based upon the Algebra Project’s Polynomial Calculus and Five-Step Curricular Process. This geometric introduction to differential and integral calculus does not require the mechanisms of analysis. And the culturally responsive Five-Step process emphasizes student voice, drawing on natural language to develop meaningful, connected understandings of abstract mathematical ideas. A second goal is to enhance the knowledge and skills of participating teachers and students through this collaborative curricular development. Both teachers and students will gain a deeper understanding of mathematics, while teachers also learn culturally responsive pedagogies and curriculum design. Finally, the project aims to encourage participants to recognize their voice and expertise, gain agency and a positive identity in mathematics or mathematics education. Drawing upon the tenets of Participatory Action Research, the youth, teacher, and expert researcher team will develop case studies to examine the emergence of voice, agency, and identity among participants in the project. In addition, the expert research team will determine the extent to which students and teachers have mastered the fundamental concepts of the differential and integral calculus, and identify the critical elements of mathematics instructional practice, both in formal and informal learning environments, that students and teachers consider valuable.This collaborative project is funded through the Racial Equity in STEM Education activity (EDU Racial Equity). The activity supports research and practice projects that investigate how considerations of racial equity factor into the improvement of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce. Awarded projects seek to center the voices, knowledge, and experiences of the individuals, communities, and institutions most impacted by systemic inequities within the STEM enterprise. This activity aligns with NSF’s core value of supporting outstanding researchers and innovative thinkers from across the Nation's diversity of demographic groups, regions, and types of organizations. Programs across EDU contribute funds to the Racial Equity activity in recognition of the alignment of its projects with the collective research and development thrusts of the four divisions of the directorate.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.