Collaborative Research: Promoting Success in Undergraduate Mathematics through Graduate Teaching Assistant Training

数学是学生在所有科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)学科取得成功的关键。此外，对于培养下一代STEM专业人员的国家需求日益增长，本科数学课程的成功日益成为一个越来越重要的因素。完成数学课程的困难往往阻碍本科生实现获得STEM学位和进入STEM劳动力大军的目标。这项由科罗拉多大学丹佛分校、奥本大学和孟菲斯大学联合开展的合作研究项目旨在通过加强数学科学研究生助教的教学准备来提高本科数学课程的完成率。提供一种有效的GTA培训模式，包括各种基于证据的方法，有可能改善GTA的课堂实践，这反过来可能会增加GTA教授的课程中的本科生学习。这个项目将通过研究GTA培训的改进如何影响本科生的学习来调查这种可能性，特别是在STEM专业通常需要的较低级别的本科数学课程中。此外，教授本科生是数学教师职业责任的重要组成部分，无论他们的任命范围从社区学院到大型研究型大学。因此，这一培训还将产生一支数学科学教师队伍，他们将更好地准备使用有效的实践来提高本科学生在大学早期数学方面的成功。该项目将进行一项由多个部分、三个机构组成的研究研究，目的是调查在科罗拉多大学丹佛大学、奥本大学和孟菲斯大学完成其多组成部分的强化教学和教学培训期间和之后对GTA的影响。该项目将使用和改进最初由CU Denver数学和统计科学系GTA准备计划开发的几个组件。这些部分包括为参与的GTA提供：(1)基于相关文献的对本科数学科学教学相关问题的深入了解；(2)接受同行和教员指导的机会；(3)为其他GTA提供同行指导的机会；(4)为本地K-12学生提供外展机会，以更广泛地了解他们未来学生的学业轨迹；以及(5)参加一个跨院校的“STEM教育中的关键问题”研讨会。研究将包括对本科生表现和成功、保持和满意度的数据分析，对GTA课堂观察的纵向定性和定量分析，检查培训计划如何影响GTA对数学教学和学习的看法，以及定性分析同伴-导师关系如何影响课堂内外经验不足和经验丰富的GTA。参与机构的不同背景将提供机会进行丰富的比较，并更深入地了解促进项目组成部分在全国其他机构更广泛采用的机制。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Mathematics is critical for student success in all Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Furthermore, undergraduate success in mathematics courses is an increasingly critical piece of the growing national need to train the next generation of STEM professionals. Difficulty in completing mathematics courses often prevents undergraduate students from reaching their goals of obtaining a STEM degree and entering the STEM workforce. This collaborative research project at the University of Colorado Denver, Auburn University, and the University of Memphis aims to improve the completion of undergraduate mathematics courses by enhancing the instructional preparation of Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) in the Mathematical Sciences. Providing an effective model of GTA training that encompasses a wide variety of evidence-based approaches has the potential to improve GTA classroom practices, which in turn may increase undergraduate learning in the classes the GTAs teach. This project will investigate this possibility by examining how improvements to GTA training affect undergraduate student learning, particularly in lower-division undergraduate mathematics courses that are often required for STEM majors. In addition, teaching undergraduates is a significant part of the professional responsibilities of mathematics faculty, regardless of their range of appointments from community colleges to large research universities. Thus, this training will also result in a cadre of mathematical sciences faculty who are better prepared to use effective practices to increase undergraduate student success in early college mathematics.The project will conduct a multi-part, three-institution research study, with the intended purpose of investigating the effects on GTAs during and after the time they complete their multi-component, enhanced instructional and pedagogical training at the University of Colorado Denver, Auburn University, and the University of Memphis. The project will use and refine several components initially developed by the CU Denver Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences GTA preparation program. These components include providing participating GTAs with: (1) a deep understanding, grounded in relevant literature, of pertinent issues in undergraduate mathematical sciences instruction; (2) opportunities to be mentored by peers and faculty; (3) opportunities to provide peer-mentoring of other GTAs; (4) outreach opportunities to local K-12 students in order to gain a broader understanding of their future students' academic trajectories; and (5) participation in a cross-institutional "Critical Issues in STEM Education" seminar. Research will include the analysis of data on undergraduate student performance and success, retention and satisfaction, a longitudinal qualitative and quantitative analysis of observations of GTA classrooms, an examination of how the training program impacts GTA perceptions of mathematics teaching and learning, and a qualitative analysis on the ways the peer-mentor relationship affects inexperienced and experienced GTAs, both in and out of their classrooms. The diverse contexts of the participating institutions will provide the opportunity for rich comparisons and greater insight into mechanisms that can facilitate broader adoption of project components at other institutions around the country.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.