The Math You Need, When You Need It: Modular Student Resources to Promote Successful Integration of Quantitative Concepts in Introductory Economics Courses

该项目解决了先前发现的学生在数学和相关定量技能方面普遍存在的困难，这些困难阻碍了大量学生成功完成经济学入门课程。所采取的方法是对经证实的基于网络的学生定量技能教程和为地球科学开发的评估框架进行调整：你需要的数学（TMYN），当你需要它时，由Wenner， Baer, &； Burn在连续三个NSF （DUE）奖中开发。这一框架的部署已经改善了学生在各种教学环境中的学习。智力优势：在情境中学习的重要性尤其适用于经济学入门课程的学生，研究表明，许多学生无法将以前学过的一般数学概念转移到他们在经济学中的应用。重点是经济学教育文献中突出的十大核心数学概念，这些概念是学生学习的常见障碍。对于这些概念中的每一个，正在开发一个在线TMYN- economics模块，使用基于研究的TMYN设计，该设计在地球科学领域取得了成功。每个模块包括：(1)学生的基础页面，包括数学概念的信息，以及为什么和如何在学科中使用它；(2)一个示例问题页面，让学生有机会在经济学背景下练习数学概念，然后进行嵌入式在线测试以评估他们的学习情况；(3)讲师页面，解释为什么该模块的数学概念对学生来说很难应用于该学科，并提供在上下文中教授该模块数学概念的额外资源。更广泛的影响：在12所不同的机构（包括一所HBCU和6所社区学院）进行初步测试后，10个学习模块将通过“起点：教与学经济学”提供，与16个已经开发并被经济学讲师广泛使用的教学模块放在一起。社区大学的收养是这个项目的一个重要焦点。这将通过改编有效外展和研讨会实践以改善社区大学经济学教学开发的资源来促进。12名实地测试人员和咨询委员会的建议将用于在公开分发前改进TMYN-Economics模块。嵌入式在线模块测验将根据学生模块测验的表现生成一个关于学生学习的新的大型数据集。这些数据将有助于进一步调查学生在经济背景下的数学技能学习。一家致力于通过创新和知识共享改善学生学习的国际领先机构已同意对这些评估和整体项目影响提供外部审查。评估数据和模块将成为科学教育资源中心（SERC）“起点：教与学经济学”网站内的永久资源，并由SERC工作人员持续维护和监督。

This project addresses previously-identified widespread student difficulties within mathematics and related quantitative skills preventing successful completion of introductory economics courses by large numbers of students. The approach taken is adaptation for economics of proven web-based student quantitative skills tutorials and assessment framework developed for the Geosciences: The Math You Need (TMYN), When You Need It, developed by Wenner, Baer, & Burn in a succession of three NSF (DUE) awards. Deployment of this framework has led to improved student learning in a variety of instructional settings. Intellectual merit: The importance of learning in context is particularly applicable to students in introductory economics courses, where research has shown that many students are not able to transfer previously-studied general mathematics concepts to their application in economics. The focus is on ten core math concepts highlighted in the economics education literature as frequent obstacles to student learning. For each of these concepts, an online TMYN-Economics module is being developed using the research-based TMYN design that has succeeded in the Geosciences. Each module includes: (1) a Foundation page for students that includes information on the mathematics concept and why and how it is used in the discipline; (2) a Sample Problems page that gives students the opportunity to practice the math concept in the context of economics before taking an embedded online quiz to assess their learning; and (3) an Instructor Page that explains why that module's mathematics concept is difficult for students to apply in the discipline and provides additional resources for teaching the module's mathematics concept in context. Broader impact: After initial testing at twelve varied institutions (including an HBCU and six community colleges), ten learning modules will be available through Starting Point: Teaching and Learning Economics, co-located with sixteen pedagogical modules already developed and used extensively by economics instructors. Adoption at community colleges is an important focus of this project. This will be promoted through resources developed by adapting Effective Outreach and Workshop Practices to Improve Community College Economics Instruction. Recommendations from twelve field-testers and the advisory board will be used to improve TMYN-Economics modules before they are publicly disseminated. The embedded online module quizzes will generate a new, large dataset on student learning based on students' module quiz performance. These data will facilitate further investigation of student learning of math skills in economic contexts. An international leader on improvement of student learning through innovation and knowledge sharing has agreed to provide external review of these assessments and overall project impact. Both the assessment data and the modules will become a permanent resource at the Science Education Resource Center (SERC) within the Starting Point: Teaching and Learning Economics web site, with ongoing maintenance and oversight by SERC staff.