Researching the Expansion of K-5 Mathematics Specialist Program into Rural School Systems

这个项目建立在一个成功的美国国家科学基金会资助的数学和科学伙伴关系的基础上，该伙伴关系为弗吉尼亚州的K-5数学专家（数学教练）开发了一个合作硕士学位课程。先前的研究表明，该模型提高了由数学专家支持的K-5教师提供高质量数学教学的能力，并导致学生在弗吉尼亚学习标准（SOL）测试中的成绩提高。维吉尼亚州对数学专家采用了新的执照标准。在这个项目中，最初的合作学院和大学团队将数学专家模式扩展到弗吉尼亚州的农村学校系统，使用远程和面对面学习的结合。此外，正在提供机制，以支持专家在远程环境中工作。这项研究旨在了解一群新的农村数学专家如何在农村学区工作，重点关注数学教练和小学教师在共同努力改善数学教学时的影响。该项目调查了数学教练和小学数学教师对数学教与学信念的变化。它还将衡量数学专家模式对K-5学生数学成绩的影响。此外，一个广泛的案例研究记录了弗吉尼亚州的政策，立法和监管决定，因为新的数学专家计划的实施。本案例说明了这种改善小学数学教育的模式是如何规模化和制度化的。由于几个原因，这项研究将对STEM教育做出重大贡献。首先，国家对使用数学教练作为改善小学数学教学和学生成绩的工具感兴趣。本项目旨在对这种定义良好的数学教练模式的有效性进行研究。其次，远程教育对STEM教师专业发展的有效性研究是迫切需要的，本研究可以提供一些见解。第三，这是一个很有前途的模型，用于研究弗吉尼亚州数学教练的使用规模，包括研究结果如何影响（或不影响）该州的政策环境。大量的背景研究表明，政策决策往往不考虑研究结果，但本项目将研究结果（和研究人员）纳入政策环境。第四，数学专家的硕士课程是由弗吉尼亚州四所不同的公立高等教育机构合作提供的，涉及公立学校的负责人和州一级的政策制定者。这种合作可以阐明规模扩大是如何发生的，并可能影响小学数学教育的国家政策和实践。

This project builds upon a successful NSF-funded Math and Science Partnership that developed a collaborative master's degree program for K-5 Mathematics Specialists (math coaches) in the State of Virginia. The prior work demonstrated that the model enhanced the ability of K-5 teachers who are supported by Mathematics Specialists to provide high quality mathematics instruction, and resulted in improved student achievement on the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) tests. The State of Virginia has adopted new licensure standards for Mathematics Specialists. In this project, the original team of collaborating colleges and universities expands the Mathematics Specialist model to rural school systems in Virginia, using a combination of distance and face-to-face learning. In addition, mechanisms are being provided to support Specialists as they work in remote environments. The research is designed to learn how a new group of rural Mathematics Specialists work in rural school districts, focusing on the impact of mathematics coaches and elementary school teachers as they work together to improve mathematics instruction. The project examines changes in beliefs about mathematics teaching and learning for mathematics coaches and for elementary math teachers. It will also measure the impact of the Mathematics Specialist model on K-5 student mathematics achievement. In addition, an extensive case study documents the State of Virginia's policy, legislative and regulatory decisions as the new Mathematics Specialists program is implemented. The case illuminates how this model for improving elementary mathematics education scales-up and is institutionalized. This study stands to make a substantial contribution to STEM education for several reasons. First, there is national interest in the use of mathematics coaches as a vehicle to improve elementary mathematics instruction and student outcomes. This project is providing research on the effectiveness of this well-defined mathematics coach model. Second, research on the effectiveness of distance education for STEM teacher professional development is sorely needed, and this study can provide insights. Third, this is a promising model for studying the scale-up of the use of mathematics coaches in Virginia, and includes how the State's policy environment was affected (or not) by the research results. Substantial background research has shown that policy decisions often are made without consideration of research results, but this project builds the research results (and researchers) into the policy environment. Fourth, the master's program for Mathematics Specialists is delivered collaboratively by four different public institutions of higher education in Virginia, and involves public school superintendents and state-level policy makers. This collaboration can illuminate how scale-up occurs, and may influence national policy and practice in elementary mathematics education.