NSF Project
National Science Foundation Project
Improving Mathematics Education in Grades 6-9
Through the Integration of Content, Technology, and Manipulatives
INTRODUCTION
In 1992, the National Science Foundation awarded the University of Alabama at Birmingham a three year grant for the purpose of enhancing the teaching abilities of middle grades mathematics teachers in the Birmingham metropolitan area. The project entitled "Improving Mathematics Education in Grades 6-9 Through the Integration of Content, Technology, and Manipulatives" is directed by Dr. Tommy Smith of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
During each of the summers of 1993, 1994, and 1995, area middle/junior high mathematics teachers participated in a five-week summer program aimed at improving their knowledge of probability, statistics, and geometry. Additionally, teachers were also exposed to extensive experience using various math manipulatives (e.g., geoboards, patterns blocks, color cubes, etc.) and computer software (e.g., Geometer's Sketchpad, Data Insights, etc.) to explore mathematics topics. Teachers also benefited from instruction on using cooperative learning, learning styles, and activity based math teaching with students. As a part of the project, each participant created a mathematics teaching project built around the themes of the program. These have been compiled and are housed in the project office, Education Building Room 122 at UAB. The participants also received materials such as manipulatives and computer software for their use and professional development. Each group of teachers has received follow up visits from project staff in addition to their returning to UAB during succeeding school years for further activities.
Based upon participant feedback and the project evaluator's teacher observations, the project has had an impact on these participants in terms of their approaches to teaching mathematics. Since their participation, more teachers are using cooperative learning, math manipulatives, computer software, and student math projects than was the case before their involvement with the project. The teachers have reported improved student attitudes toward mathematics and greater student involvement in the learning process.
Additionally, many of the participants have become more active in leadership activities such as presenting mathematics inservice programs for other teachers. Each summer participant has mentored a colleague during the year after their summer program in the method, materials, and philosophy of the program. The participants from all years have linked with other teachers as a part of a Mathematics Teachers Helping Teachers Network. The purpose of this group is to share information and exchange views on issues effecting mathematics education. The ultimate goal is to continue work begun by the project and to assist in systemic reform of mathematics education in Alabama.
There is a list of participants in this homepage who may be contacted as potential resources and can share some of their classroom successes. Also, you will find a list of software, manipulatives, and materials that have been collected as a part of the project and are housed in the project office at UAB.
OBJECTIVES
The primary objectives of this project are to assist teachers (1) to increase their knowledge of appropriate mathematical concepts, (2) to become proficient in the use of selected mathematical tools and technology, (3) to develop instructional skills in applying tools and technology in middle grades mathematics classroom, (4) to develop a classroom instructional unit incorporating mathematical concepts, tools, technology, and instructional technology, (5) to develop strategies for increasing positive student attitudes toward mathematics, (6) to implement the teaching strategies and instructional materials in their classroom during the following school year, (7) to serve as mentors for fellow mathematics teachers during the following school year, and (8) to demonstrate sensitivity toward students' diverse learning styles, particularly minorities and other underreprresented groups.
PLAN OF ACTION
To achieve the above objectives, this project focused on (l) tailoring the project's objective with the appropriateness of the audience, (2) planning of a five-week intensive workshop study at the UAB campus during the summer with follow-up support system, (3) planning four evenly spaced out follow-up meetings during the following school year to provide additional mathematics content and information, and support, (4) making two visits to each teacher's classroom to provide consultation and feedback, (5) creating Mathematics Teachers Helping Teachers Network and developing mentoring relationships between participants and fellow mathematics teachers, and (6) increasing the network over the project's three years span with the inclusion of mentees in the follow-up meetings.
ISSUES
While the majority of American secondary students are reasonably successful in performing routine computational and measurement skills, they have not mastered fundamental mathematical ideas, cannot effectively analyze mathematical problems, or successfully apply mathematics to unique situations. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, about half of current high school graduates appear to have an understanding of mathematics that does not extend much beyond simple problem solving with whole numbers and more disturbing is the fact that only 5 percent of current graduates showed an understanding of geometry and algebra that suggested preparedness for the study of relatively advanced mathematics.
Problems in mathematics achievement begin early in children's educational careers and often worsen with each grade level. The mathematics performance of Alabama students is relatively poor. Of the 40 states and territories participating in the NAEP 1990 Trial Assessment Program (for proficiency in eighth-grade mathematics), Alabama students scored 34th. Factors contributing to low achievement in the middle grades preclude many secondary students from enrolling in advanced secondary mathematics classes. As a result, enrollment in Algebra I, Algebra II, and Calculus is well below the national average. Studies conducted by Alabama Commission on Higher Education revealed that at any given time, 63 percent of all high school students in Alabama were enrolled in no mathematics course or in courses more elementary than Algebra I. Students' limited mathematical competence is often attributed to the restricted mathematical knowledge and outmoded instructional strategies of classroom teachers. Specifically, an excess of poor pedagogical training coupled with irrelevant learning experiences in university mathematics courses are reputed to produce teachers ill prepared to deal with mathematics, either creatively or constructively. However, there are those who contend that teachers perform their jobs effectively but are hampered by a lack of educational technology and the training to use it. Regardless of their position on this issue, most writers agree that the knowledge and skills of the individual classroom teacher will determine the success of reforms in mathematical instruction.
There is considerable agreement that effective teachers of mathematics must (l) possess knowledge of relevant mathematical concepts, (2) be fluent in the use of mathematical symbols and systems, and (3) modify classroom organization to capitalize on opportunities presented by educational technology. The educational challenge is whether the large number of mathematics teachers currently working in the field can be effectively retrained to meet these exacting standards. Teacher retraining is vital for substantive changes in the teaching of school mathematics are predicated upon corresponding changes in teacher attitudes and competency.
In response to these challenges, the UAB School of Education and the UAB Department of Mathematics in cooperation with local schools have implemented innovative teacher enhancement programs in science and mathematics. These programs include training elementary mathematics teachers to use a constructivist approach to children's arithmetic, exposing middle school teachers to training in practical applications of mathematics, using a problem-based inductive approach to the teaching of introductory physics and introducing advanced technology into high school science and mathematics classrooms.
The major goals of this project are to enhance mathematical knowledge and improve instructional skills of middle grade (6-9) mathematics teachers through an innovative teacher enhancement program. Focusing on the middle grades is particularly timely in view of the escalating technological demands of the workplace and the increasing intellectual challenge of high school mathematics. If they are to successfully acquire and apply advanced mathematics concepts, middle grade students must first develop realistic mathematical dispositions, manifested by their competency and confidence in mathematical problem solving, communication, and reasoning.
Middle grades are the crucial developmental bridge between the child's optimistic views of personal competency and the adolescent's debilitating belief that s/he cannot learn mathematics. This point is illustrated by the trends in Stanford Achievement Test percentile scores of students in UAB's six cooperating school systems in which students' scores tended to rise from grade one to grade five, but the scores dropped rather sharply during the middle grades and continued to decrease 80 that by grade 10, the majority of the percentile scores were below those of first grade.
Another goal of this project is to increase the pool of minority and other underrepresented students who are capable of profiting from rigorous grade-appropriate instruction in high school science and mathematics. It is well established that race-related differences in mathematics achievement interact with a variety of factors: gender, social class, instructional programs, and teachers' lack of cultural awareness. What is perhaps most striking about these differences is that while the preschool mathematical understandings of minority and majority children are roughly equal, by age 9, significant difference are entrenched and continue to increase during high school.
In UAB's six cooperating school systems, the pool of minority students is substantial - 51,000 students out of a total student population of 93,000 (54.8%). Many of these students could be described as living in disadvantaged urban communities. In fact 59% of the 6,000 students in the Bessemer School system qualify for the free/reduced lunch program and 50 of the K-6 students are enrolled in Chapter I programs. This project will devote particular attention to these students by insuring that five conditions for success exist. These conditions are (1) to provide accessibility to effective mathematics instruction, (2) to promote successful early achievement in mathematics with emphasis on continued study, (3) to promote the development of attitudes such as confidence in ones' own ability and interest and perseverance to study mathematics, (4) to promote enhanced expectations and provide positive reinforcement from teachers, and (5) to increase opportunities for interaction with academically oriented peers.
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Participants of the NSF - Improving Mathematics Education in Grades 6-9 Through the Integration of Content, Technology, and Manipulatives
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Dwight Eisenhower 1995 Project - Strengthening Teaching Algebra and Geometry Achievement
WWW Mathematics Resources
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