Transforming Undergraduate Mathematics Education Through Faculty Development in Active Learning and Equity-Minded Instruction

该项目旨在通过将本科数学教学转变为更具平等意识和积极参与的方式来服务于国家利益。该项目将实施和研究一个强大的和基于证据的专业发展（PD）计划，以培训和支持教师采用主动学习数学（ALM）的方法。资产负债管理的方法将有一个刻意侧重于公平的思想指导。专注于转变数学教学是很重要的，因为有记录的声誉数学课程作为看门人，与差距放大的学生群体在干代表性不足。这些差距限制了STEM的更广泛参与。迫切需要改善STEM教育，该项目使用PD中基于证据的最佳实践，通过持续和持续的以社区为中心的活动，让教师有机会成长为教育工作者。一个独特的重点是通过各种低风险和高风险的PD格式建立实践社区，并特别注重内部PD使用部门作为变革单位。该项目旨在增加教师实施循证，有效和公平的教学实践的数量。随着教学的转变，部门文化的变化调查将是非常宝贵的其他部门谁渴望changes.The通过积极教学（Meta）项目的数学公平的长期目标是提高学生在本科数学教育的成果。Meta将通过实施一项新的PD计划来推进这一目标，以在短期内改变教师的技能和实践，并在长期内提高学生的成绩。Meta还将为其他机构采用PD计划提供证据基础。为了进一步了解影响教师对ALM的兴趣和以公平为中心的ALM PD的成功的因素，Meta将进行研究，以评估教师的挑战，教师的支持和可能影响计划结果的机构特征。Meta研究将确定和评估教师的挑战，支持和教师采用公平的ALM在部门一级的影响。 本计画的研究问题为：（1）对于数学教师而言，他们在努力将教学朝向公平的资产负债管理转变时，所得到的支持与挑战是什么？以及（2）哪些系级特征支持教学向公平意识的资产负债管理转变？为了解决研究问题，Meta将收集六个数据源：教师焦点小组，个别教师访谈，PD活动的评估调查，记录观察前会议，完成自我评估课堂协议，并记录观察后会议。将使用Meta试点项目中采用的类型分析技术对数据进行分析。研究结果将通过出版的手稿、会议报告以及在众多现有网络中分发的方式进行传播。从Meta的调查结果将是特别感兴趣的部门正在寻求一个强大的PD模型，以支持他们的教师变得更加公平的头脑，同时拥抱ALM。NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。通过机构和社区转型轨道，该计划支持努力改造和改善高等教育机构和学科社区的STEM教育。 该项目还得到了NSF IUSE：HSI计划的支持，该计划旨在加强本科STEM教育，扩大STEM的参与，并建立HSI的能力。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力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 by transforming undergraduate mathematics teaching to be more equity-minded and actively engaged. This project will implement and research a robust and evidence-based professional development (PD) program to train and support faculty in adopting an active learning in mathematics (ALM) approach. The ALM approach will have a deliberate focus on equity-minded instruction. Focusing on transforming mathematics instruction is important because of the documented reputation of mathematics courses as gatekeepers, with gaps magnified for students from groups underrepresented in STEM. These gaps limit broader participation in STEM. With an urgent need to improve STEM education, this project uses evidence-based best practices in PD to engage faculty in opportunities to grow as educators through continuous and sustained community-centered activities. A unique emphasis is on building communities of practice through a variety of lower- and higher-stakes PD formats and the specific focus on in-house PD using the department as the unit of change. This project seeks to increase the number of faculty implementing evidence-based, effective, and equitable teaching practices. Investigation of changes in department culture as teaching is transformed will be invaluable to other departments who aspire to change.The long-term goal of the Mathematics Equity through Teaching Actively (META) project is to improve student outcomes in undergraduate mathematics education. META will advance this goal by implementing a novel PD program to transform faculty skills and practices in the near-term and improve student outcomes in the long-term. META will also provide an evidence base for scaling the PD program for adoption at other institutions. To advance understanding of the factors that influence faculty interest in ALM and the success of equity-minded ALM-focused PD, META will conduct research to assess faculty challenges, faculty supports, and institutional characteristics that may affect program outcomes. META research will identify and evaluate the impact of faculty challenges, supports, and faculty adoption of equity-minded ALM at the department level. The project’s research questions are: (1) What are the reported supports and challenges for mathematics faculty who strive to transform their instruction towards equity-minded ALM? and (2) What department-level characteristics support instructional transformation towards equity-minded ALM? To address the research questions, META will collect six data sources: faculty focus groups, individual faculty interviews, assessment surveys from PD activities, recorded pre-observation meetings, completed self-assessment classroom protocols, and recorded post-observation meetings. Data will be analyzed using typological analysis techniques that were employed in META’s pilot project. Results will be disseminated published manuscripts, conference presentations, and distribution among a multitude of existing networks. Findings from META will be of particular interest to departments that are seeking a robust model of PD to support their faculty in becoming more equity-minded while embracing ALM. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Institutional and Community Transformation track, the program supports efforts to transform and improve STEM education across institutions of higher education and disciplinary communities. This project is also supported by the NSF IUSE:HSI program, which seeks to enhance undergraduate STEM education, broaden participation in STEM, and build capacity at HSIs.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.