Focus on Mathematics, Phase II: Learning Cultures for High Student Achievement

自2003年以来，专注于数学（FoM）一直是NSF数学和科学合作伙伴计划的一个项目，该计划涉及波士顿大学，教育发展中心，公司，位于洛厄尔的马萨诸塞州大学和一系列马萨诸塞州公立学区。 自成立以来，FoM一直致力于通过为教师提供坚实的基于内容的专业发展的计划来提高学生的数学成绩，这些计划由“数学学习社区”支持，其中数学家，数学教育工作者，K-12管理人员和教师共同努力，将数学置于5-12年级数学教育的核心。 FoM第二阶段建立在过去的成功，同时通过对教师在职业生活中使用的数学思维习惯进行重点研究，开发和传播新知识。 FoM正在通过专注于合作伙伴关系的两个最高需求地区：劳伦斯和切尔西，深化其早期努力的影响。 在早期工作中建立的数学学习社区的基础上，FoM第二阶段正在加强教师领导团队，他们将领导以数学为重点的专业发展活动，包括校本学习小组和伙伴范围的研讨会和暑期学院。 FoM正在扩大其影响，增加参与现有地区，并参与额外的高需求地区和社区学院。 FoM第二阶段还预计邀请新的高等教育合作伙伴加入伙伴关系，作为这些数学学习社区的贡献成员。 根据从早期工作中获得的经验，FoM正在为教师创造途径，这些途径开始是在沉浸式研究所培养强烈的数学思维习惯，通过学校的学习社区，并导致教师课堂和学生成绩的可衡量的变化。 FoM正在通过开发一个研究项目来研究教师互动沿着这些途径的影响，包括对教学和学生成绩的影响，从而产生知识。 作为这项研究的一个工具，该项目正在开发评估，以衡量教学中的数学思维习惯，并正在通过基于数学家和教育工作者课堂录像带观察的评分者间可靠性检查来测试和改进这些评估。 预计试点工具可由具有类似目标的其他方案使用和进一步开发。 为了传播通过第二阶段获得的知识，FoM将在2011年春季举行全国会议。该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。

Focus on Mathematics (FoM) has, since 2003, been a project of NSF's Math and Science Partnership program that engaged Boston University, the Education Development Center, Inc., the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, and an array of Massachusetts public school districts. Since its inception, FoM has sought to improve student achievement in mathematics through programs that provide teachers with solid content-based professional development sustained by 'mathematical learning communities' in which mathematicians, mathematics educators, K-12 administrators, and teachers work together to put mathematics at the core of mathematics education in grades 5-12. FoM Phase II builds on past success while developing and disseminating new knowledge through a focused research study on the mathematical habits of mind teachers use in their professional lives. FoM is deepening its impact from earlier efforts by focusing on the partnership's two highest need districts: Lawrence and Chelsea. Building on mathematical learning communities established in the earlier work, FoM Phase II is strengthening a corps of teacher leaders who will lead mathematics-focused professional development activities, including school-based study groups and partnership-wide seminars and summer institutes. FoM is broadening its impact by increasing participation in the current districts, and engaging additional high need districts and a community college. FoM Phase II also anticipates inviting new higher education partners to join the partnership as contributing members of these mathematical learning communities. Building on experience gained through the earlier work, FoM is creating pathways for teachers that begin with the development of strong mathematical habits of mind in immersion institutes, pass through learning communities in the schools, and lead to measurable change in teachers' classrooms and student achievement. FoM is generating knowledge by developing a research program to investigate the effects of teacher interactions along these pathways, including effects on teaching and student achievement. As a tool for this research, the project is developing assessments to measure mathematical habits of mind for teaching, and is testing and refining these assessments through inter-rater reliability checks based on classroom videotape observations by mathematicians and educators. It is anticipated that the piloted instruments may be used and further developed by other programs with similar goals. To disseminate knowledge gained through Phase II, FoM will hold a national conference in the spring of 2011.This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).