Improving Math Identity for Underrepresented Populations: An Implementation and Impact Study of After-School Math Plus

大多数追求数学的学生都选择在高中之前完成这项工作。因此，小学和中学的经历对于吸引学生进入STEM至关重要。研究一致指出，课外活动是增加学生接触高质量数学学习机会的黄金机会，并培养数学参与和坚持不懈的关键影响因素：兴趣和认同感。然而，关于课外项目如何以及在什么条件下才能培养这些因素，还需要更多的研究。身份在数学教育中的作用尤其被忽视。拟议的研究项目通过研究课后数学+(ASM+)的实施和结果来解决这一差距，ASM+是一个课后数学项目，旨在解决数学认同的各个方面，从而对这一数学参与和成就的关键影响者产生积极影响。“改善数学认同感”是由推进非正式STEM学习计划(AISL)资助的一个在职研究项目，旨在促进对非正式环境中STEM学习的设计和发展的新方法和基于证据的理解。该团队将通过对南卡罗来纳州30个主要服务于低收入和少数族裔学生的小学水平课后地点进行严格的随机对照试验来研究ASM+的影响(15个使用ASM+的治疗；15个使用混合数学的控制)。被选入这项研究的网站必须为四年级和五年级学生提供服务，并且必须每周运营五天。通过实施研究，将收集数据，以评估该计划，并了解小组领导人和学生在ASM+计划和比较地点的经验。数据来源包括从处理和控制点收集的调查、访谈、观察和管理数据。这项研究将调查ASM+如何以及在多大程度上发展四、五年级学生的数学认同感，并提高他们的数学参与度和兴趣。它将探索身份认同、参与度和兴趣的增加是否会带来更大的技能发展和学术成就。这项研究由社会科学和公共政策研究和评估公司IMPAQ International LLC与全球发展和教育组织FHI 360的Education Equity合作进行。这项研究致力于在早期提高学生的数学认同感，从而改变学生的教育和职业抱负。最终目标是扩大代表人数不足的群体对STEM的参与。结果将有助于制定旨在激励和留住STEM学生的干预措施，特别是在非正式环境中。从这项研究中获得的知识将广泛传播给实践者、研究人员、程序开发人员和政策制定者。

Most students who pursue math have chosen to do so by high school. Elementary and middle school experiences are thus vitally important in attracting students to STEM. Research consistently points to after-school as a golden opportunity to increase students' exposure to high-quality math learning opportunities and to develop the key influencers of math participation and persistence: interest and identity. However, more research on how and under what conditions after-school programs can foster these factors is needed. The role of identity in math education has been particularly neglected. The proposed research project addresses this gap by studying the implementation and outcomes of After-School Math PLUS (ASM+), an after-school math program designed to address all aspects of math identity and thus have a positive effect on this key influencer of math participation and achievement. "Improving Math Identity" is a Research-in-Service to Practice project funded by the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) Program which seeks to advance new approaches to, and evidence-based understanding of, the design and development of STEM learning in informal environments.The team will study the impact of ASM+ through a rigorous randomized controlled trial of 30 elementary-level after-school sites in South Carolina serving predominately low-income and minority students (15 treatment using ASM+; 15 control using Mixing in Math). Sites selected into the study must serve fourth and fifth graders and must operate five days a week. Through an implementation study, data will be collected in order to assess the program and understand the experiences of group leaders and students in the ASM+ program and at comparison sites. Data sources include surveys, interviews, observations, and administrative data collected from the treatment and control sites. The study will investigate how and to what extent ASM+ develops fourth and fifth grade students' math identity and increases math engagement and interest. It will explore whether increasing identity, engagement, and interest leads to greater skill development and academic achievement. This research is being conducted by IMPAQ International LLC, a social science and public policy research and evaluation firm in collaboration with Educational Equity at FHI 360, a global development and education organization. The research addresses the need to enhance students' math identity at an early age and, as a result, change students' educational and career aspirations. The ultimate goal is to broaden participation in STEM by underrepresented groups. Results will inform the development of interventions designed to motivate and retain students in STEM, particularly in informal settings. Knowledge gained from this research will be broadly disseminated to practitioners, researchers, program developers, and policy makers.