Collaborative Math: Creating Sustainable Excellence in Mathematics for Head Start Programs

该项目已提交给发现研究K-12 （DRK-12）计划，该计划旨在通过研究和开发创新资源、模型和工具，显著提高pre -12学生和教师对科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）的学习和教学。DRK-12计划中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究和先前的研究和开发工作的基础上，为拟议的项目提供了理论和实证依据。该项目将适应和研究一种有前途且可复制的教师专业发展（PD）干预措施，即协作数学（CM），用于幼儿教育项目。CM的内容将集中在学前数学中强调的九个主题，包括集合、数感、计数、数运算、模式、测量、数据分析、空间关系和形状。这些概念是围绕早期数学中熟悉的大概念组织起来的，是发展适当的，是幼儿理解数学的基础。该项目解决了改善低收入家庭儿童早期数学教学的迫切需要。幼儿教师作为多面手，在职前培训中获得的数学知识通常比高年级教师少，这降低了他们教学数学的有效性。为了满足教师PD的需求，该项目将采用整体教师方法，同时培养教师的内容知识、信心和课堂实践。同样，该项目将涉及教师、教师助理和管理人员，通过整个学校的PD方法，研究表明，这比只涉及领导教师更有效。通过几个阶段的开发和研究，该项目将调查项目组成部分对增加教师知识和课堂实践，学生数学知识和整体实施的贡献。该项目将影响约200名学前教育（HS）教师，使他们在项目期间更好地为3000多名HS儿童提供高质量的早期数学体验。在项目完成后，一系列经过良好测试的CM材料，如资源书籍和教学视频，将广泛用于早期数学PD使用。评估数学知识、态度和教师实践的工具也将可用。该项目建立在埃里克森研究所在早期数学PD和课程领域的研究和开发工作。在为期4年的项目开发和研究中将分4个阶段进行：(1)根据HS的情况调整现有的CM和研究措施；(2)在保真度和主管、教师/助手和学生成果方面，对修订后的管理模式进行有限的实地研究，并对商业惯例（BAU）对照组进行研究；(3)对第三阶段BAU组（在第二阶段提供基线）的干预承诺的研究和(4)对第三阶段治疗组第二年可持续性干预的测试。教师和学生措施都已公布，是幼儿教育中经常使用的措施，在全面实施之前将进行试点和完善。该项目是埃里克森，SRI和芝加哥启智计划之间的合作伙伴关系。项目研究和资源将广泛传播给决策者、研究人员和实践者。

This project was submitted to the Discovery Research K-12 (DRK-12) program that seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models, and tools. Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects. The project will adapt and study a promising and replicable teacher professional development (PD) intervention, called Collaborative Math (CM), for use in early childhood programs. CM content will focus on nine topics emphasized in preschool mathematics, including sets, number sense, counting, number operations, pattern, measurement, data analysis, spatial relationships, and shape. These concepts are organized around Big Ideas familiar in early math, are developmentally appropriate and foundational to a young child's understanding of mathematics. The project addresses the urgent need for improving early math instruction for low-income children. Prepared as generalists, preschool teachers typically acquire less math knowledge in pre-service training than their colleagues in upper grades, which reduces their effectiveness in teaching math. To address teacher PD needs, the project will simultaneously develop teacher content knowledge, confidence, and classroom practice by using a whole teacher approach. Likewise, the project will involve teachers, teacher aides, and administrators through a whole school approach in PD, which research has shown is more effective than involving only lead teachers. Through several phases of development and research, the project will investigate the contributions of project components on increases in teacher knowledge and classroom practices, student math knowledge, and overall implementation. The project will impact approximately 200 Head Start (HS) teaching staff, better preparing them to provide quality early math experiences to more than 3,000 HS children during the project period. Upon the completion of the project, a range of well-tested CM materials such as resource books and teaching videos will be widely available for early math PD use. Assessment tools that look at math knowledge, attitudes, and teacher practice will also be available. The project builds on Erikson Institute research and development work in fields of early math PD and curriculum. Over a 4-year span, project development and research will be implemented in 4 phases: (1) adapting the existing CM and research measures for HS context; (2) conducting a limited field study of revised CM in terms of fidelity and director, teacher/aide, and student outcomes, and study of business as usual (BAU) comparison groups; (3) a study of the promise of the intervention promise with the phase 3 BAU group (who offered baseline in phase 2) and (4) a test of the 2nd year sustainability intervention with phase 3 treatment group. The teacher and student measures are all published, frequently used measures in early childhood education and will be piloted and refined prior to full implementation. The project is a partnership between Erikson, SRI, and Chicago Head Start programs. Project research and resources will be widely disseminated to policy makers, researchers, and practitioners.