Community Impact with Teacher Leaders in Data Science and Mathematical Modeling

该项目旨在满足国家的需要，培养具有必要技能的高效教师领导，指导中学生数学建模和数据科学。在犹他州的农村和美洲原住民社区，教师和大学专家将合作调查当地问题。尽管利用数学和数据科学为有关重大科学和社会问题的决策提供信息的重要性越来越大，但许多中学数学教师，特别是在农村地区，学习数学和数据建模技能或向学生传授这些技能的有效方法的机会有限。该项目致力于创造更多的机会和教学支持，通过提高教师领导在数据科学和数学建模以及在这一背景下响应文化的教学实践方面的专业知识，在农村和美洲原住民学生中培养丰富的学习机会。此外，教师领袖将磨练指导学校其他教师的技能。犹他州州立大学(USU)的这个项目包括与犹他州、杜切斯纳和圣胡安学区以及犹他州犹他州部落教育部内的犹他州河流高中的合作伙伴关系。项目目标包括：(1)培养具有数据科学和数学建模专业知识的教师领袖，达到加强建模和数据科学教育所需的水平；(2)培养具有教学专长的教师领袖，以便在数据科学和数学建模课程中纳入响应文化的教学；(3)培养通过研究活动与社区接触的教师领袖，并指导农村和土著社区的准教师和早期教师。该项目将招聘和支持24名高级教师研究员(MTF)成为模范教师领导者，让学生在与文化相关的背景下接触数学建模和数据科学。为此，该项目的设计能够创建数学建模和数据科学学习材料和教学技术，这些材料和教学技术植根于农村和美洲原住民社区的需求、文化和经验。通过在高需求学区培养具有数学建模和数据科学教学知识的教师领导，该项目寻求改善犹他州学生的STEM教育成果。一个由专业人士、教育工作者和州政府官员组成的小组将提供指导和战略建议，以帮助实现项目目标并使项目成果最大化。此外，项目评估使用混合方法技术来评估用于支持MTF的方法的有效性，并检查实现项目目标的进展情况。项目成果的传播包括在专业会议、区域专业研讨会和经评审的出版物上发表演讲。这个Track 3：大师教学奖学金项目由罗伯特·诺伊斯教师奖学金计划(Noyce)提供支持。Noyce计划支持有才华的STEM本科专业和专业人员成为有效的K-12 STEM教师，并支持经验丰富、模范的K-12教师成为高需求学区的STEM硕士教师。它还支持对高需求学区K-12 STEM教师的有效性和留住的研究。这一奖项反映了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。

The project aims to serve the national need of developing highly effective teacher leaders with the skills necessary to instruct secondary students in mathematical modeling and data science. In rural and Native American communities in Utah, teachers and university experts will partner to investigate local issues. Although using mathematics and data science to inform decision making regarding important scientific and social issues has been growing in significance, many secondary mathematics teachers, particularly in rural areas, have had limited opportunities to learn mathematical and data modeling skills or effective ways to teach these skills to their students. This project aspires to create more opportunities and teaching support to cultivate rich opportunities for learning among rural and Native American students by enhancing teacher leaders’ expertise in data science and mathematical modeling and in culturally responsive teaching practices in this context. In addition, teacher leaders will hone skills for mentoring other teachers in their schools.This project at Utah State University (USU) includes partnerships with Uintah, Duchesne, and San Juan School Districts, along with Uintah River High School within the Ute Tribe Education Department in Utah. Project goals include: (1) Develop teacher leaders with expertise in data science and mathematical modeling to levels requisite for strengthening modeling and data science education; (2) Develop teacher leaders with the pedagogical expertise to incorporate culturally responsive teaching in data science and mathematical modeling lessons; (3) Develop teacher leaders who will engage with their communities through research activities and mentor prospective and early career teachers in rural and Native communities. The project will recruit and support 24 master teacher fellows (MTFs) to become exemplary teacher-leaders who engage students with mathematical modeling and data science in culturally relevant contexts. To this end, the design of the project enables the creation of mathematical modeling and data science learning materials and instructional techniques that are grounded in the needs, culture, and experiences of rural and Native American communities. Through cultivating teacher leaders in high-need school districts with pedagogical content knowledge in mathematical modeling and data science, the project seeks to improve STEM education outcomes for students in the state of Utah. A panel comprised of professionals, educators, and state government officials will provide guidance and strategic advice to help attain project goals and maximize project outcomes. Additionally, the project evaluation employs mixed methods techniques to assess the effectiveness of the approaches used to support MTFs and examine the progress toward meeting project goals. Dissemination of project outcomes include presentations at professional conferences, regional professional workshops, and refereed publications. This Track 3: Master Teaching Fellowships project is supported through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce). The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 STEM teachers and experienced, exemplary K-12 teachers to become STEM master teachers in high-need school districts. It also supports research on the effectiveness and retention of K-12 STEM teachers in high-need school districts.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.