The Physics of Elementary Mathematics

该项目旨在通过提高小学职前教师对数学的理解，同时为他们在语境中教授STEM概念做好准备，为高质量的STEM教育服务。这个项目的独特之处在于，物理学将被用来关注基于小学和中学课程的数学内容课程中的代数推理，这是一个在以前的研究中很少受到关注的领域。因为小学职前教师通常没有接受过任何物理方面的指导，他们经常在代数概念和这些概念在有意义的现实环境中的应用方面遇到困难。该项目有可能通过为数学教育讲师提供综合物理/数学培训来解决这些弱点，这些讲师为小学职前教师提供K-8年级的教学准备。此外，该项目每年将为200多名教师在本科课程中使用物理实验室活动和技术工具进行培训。因此，这个项目的影响可以扩展到成千上万的小学生，他们在这些老师的课堂上学习了如何利用物理来情境化数学。该项目有三个主要目标：(i)开发和测试将实验物理活动与中小学代数推理内容联系起来的课程材料和教学方法；（ii）在三年的时间里与数学教育教师进行交流、培训和支持，以发展他们在课堂上使用开发的教学材料和方法的知识和专业知识；（iii）通过在使用新开发的教学材料的课程中使用技术工具，指导小学职前教师进行以数学为重点的物理活动，从而提高他们对代数概念及其在现实环境中的应用的理解。该项目的评估将包括定性和定量反馈，以指导创建和设计活动和评估的迭代过程，以支持数学教育教师及其小学职前教师。数据将特别关注内容知识，因为课程的目标主要是提高小学职前教师的数学内容知识。数据将通过调查、前后测试和由数学教育教员和小学职前教师参与的小组讨论来收集。将采用混合方法来审查执行活动与项目成果之间的联系。这是一个由美国国家科学基金会改善本科STEM教育计划（IUSE）：教育与人力资源（EHR）支持的参与式学生学习项目。IUSE计划支持旨在提高所有本科生STEM教育有效性的项目。通过参与学生学习跟踪，IUSE: EHR项目支持有前途的实践和工具的创建、探索和实施。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to serve the national interest in high quality STEM education by improving elementary preservice teachers' understanding of mathematics while preparing them to teach STEM concepts in context. This project is unique in that physics will be used to focus algebraic reasoning in a mathematics content course based on elementary and middle school curriculum, an area that has received little attention in previous research. Because elementary preservice teachers typically do not receive any instruction in physics, they often struggle with algebraic concepts and the applications of those concepts in meaningful real-world contexts. This project has the potential to address these weaknesses by providing integrated physics/mathematics training for mathematics education instructors who prepare elementary preservice teachers to teach in grades K-8. In addition, the project will prepare over 200 teachers per year using physics laboratory activities and technological tools in their undergraduate coursework. As a result, the project's impact could extend to thousands of elementary school students in classes taught by these teachers who learned how physics can be used to contextualize mathematics. The project has three primary goals: (i) develop and test curricular materials and instructional methods that connect experimental physics activities to elementary and middle school algebraic reasoning content; (ii) confer with, train, and support mathematics education instructors over a three-year period to develop their knowledge and expertise in the classroom use of the developed instructional materials and methods; and (iii) improve elementary preservice teachers' understanding of algebraic concepts and applications in real-world contexts by guiding them in mathematics-focused physics activities employing technological tools in courses that utilize the newly developed instructional materials. The project's evaluation will include qualitative and quantitative feedback to guide the iterative process of creating and designing activities and assessments to support both the mathematics education instructors and their elementary preservice teachers. Data will specifically focus on content knowledge, because the goal of the course is primarily to improve elementary preservice teachers' mathematical content knowledge. Data will be gathered through surveys, pre- and post-tests and panel discussions involving both the mathematics education instructors and the elementary preservice teachers. A mixed methods approach will be used to examine the link between the implementation activities and project outcomes. This is an Engaged Student Learning project, supported by the NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education Program (IUSE): Education and Human Resources (EHR). The IUSE Program supports projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all undergraduate students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the IUSE : EHR program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.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.