Education Commons^™

Supporting Teaching And Learning Reform In College Mathematics: Finding Value In Communities Of Practice, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Paula M. Jakopovic, Christine Von Renesse

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Improving college STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) student learning outcomes is an ongoing area of focus in Institutions of Higher Education (IHE). This reform includes challenging, changing, and adapting both teaching practices and the learning environment. Communities of practice (CoPs) can support faculty in making these shifts; however, creating large-scale instructional changes in STEM education requires a more careful look at the existing systems and structures in place. In this paper, we investigate a network of regional CoPs composed mainly of mathematics faculty from IHE focused on teaching with inquiry methods. Understanding what faculty need and value to support their …

Learning Assistantships In College Mathematics: Value For Preservice Teacher Development, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Paula Jakopovic, Janice Rech, Angie Hodge-Zickerman

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Increasing the participation and achievement of students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) from early grades to college coursework continues to be at the forefront of educational transformations and research. Faculty members at Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) plan, implement, and investigate how program structures might aid in the development, retention, and overall success of undergraduate students in STEM. Active learning classrooms, especially in mathematics, are one way IHE are reforming student learning experiences, and these environments also provide a unique opportunity to engage undergraduate learning assistants with faculty to support near - peer students and deepen their own …

Coaching To Develop Teacher Professional Noticing: Planning With Students And Mathematics In Mind, Paula M. Jakopovic

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Purpose

This paper examines how intentional mathematics coaching practices can develop teacher professional noticing of “ambitious teaching practices” (NCTM, 2020) through connected, collaborative coaching cycles.

Design/methodology/approach

Narrative analysis is used to examine observations of a mathematics coach and novice teacher to better understand the role of the coach in helping teachers attend to ambitious mathematics teaching (AMT) practices.

Findings

The initial findings of this study suggest that intentional use of focused goals, iterative coaching cycles and a gradual release model of coaching can support shifts in noticing of AMT from being led by the coach to being facilitated by the …

District-University Collaborations To Support Reform-Based Mathematics Curriculum Implementation, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Amy L. Nebesniak, Theodore J. Rupnow

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Curriculum change is inevitable in schooling. For content areas such as mathematics that are already under the national spotlight, transitioning to new curriculum materials while concurrently enacting instructional reform creates both a challenge and an opportunity. This paper discusses how partnerships between two state universities and respective neighboring school districts resulted in the creation and implementation of graduate courses for teachers targeted at curricular and instructional reform specific to each district. Common course components between both university-district partnerships were identified in the areas of mathematics research, practice, and leadership advocacy and found to be instrumental in supporting instructional reform and …

Bricklayer: Elementary Students Learn Math Through Programming And Art, Michelle Friend

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

As computer science becomes more prevalent in the K-12 world, elementary schools are increasingly adopting computing curricula. Computer scientists have recognized the connection between math and computer science, but little work has demonstrated how and whether computer science can support improved learning in math. This paper reports on a project in which elementary students in a gifted program used Bricklayer, a functional programming environment that supports artistic and mathematical expression. A pre- and post-test design demonstrates significant learning gains in coordinate graphing and visual-spatial skills.

The Power Of Improvisational Teaching, Elizabeth Graue, Kristin Whyte, Anne E. Karabon

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

In this study we examine how improvisation can facilitate understanding how teachers respond to children's multiple resources, interests, experiences, and skills in early childhood programs. Improvisation is conceptualized as a responsive, partnered activity through which teachers and children generate meaning and knowledge together. In our analysis we show improvisation is taken up differently in two classrooms and how it variably provides opportunities for learning. Two cases from a professional development program designed to support culturally and developmentally appropriate early mathematics are used to demonstrate the possibilities improvisation creates in era of increasing standardization of curriculum.

Imagining A Future In Prek: How Professional Identity Shapes Notions Of Early Mathematics, Elizabeth Graue, Anne E. Karabon, Katherine Kresin Delaney, Kristin Whyte, Jiwon Kim, Anita Wager

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

This article describes how early childhood teachers engaged in a public preK professional development program. We examine how developing teacher identities mediated engagement with the discourses of developmentally appropriate practice, early mathematics, and funds of knowledge and how they connected present practice to an imagined future. We found that helping them to connect practice experience and new mathematical content knowledge through play allowed them to envision a meaningful place for math with young children.

Stem Literacy For Ells Through Service Learning, Sandra Rodriguez-Arroyo, Barbara Brimmerman, Olga Zeisler

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This presentation features: Rationale, Model of Academic Language Proficiency/ Jim Cummins’s Quadrant, STEM Literacy for ELLs, ELLS-OPS, Tall grasses and Wildflowers of Nebraska: A Service Learning Experience, UNO Students, Objectives, First Year: 2011-2012, Second Year: 2012-2013, Community Partner: Allwine Prairie, Support from Service Learning Academy, Research Presentations, Literacy Strategies, Service Learning Project Outcomes, Visit to the Prairie, and Future Research.

What Can Stem Educators Learn From A Teacher Induction Program? A Study Of Science And Mathematics Teachers’ Reflections On Teaching And Learning, Sheryl Mcglamery, Saundra Shillingstad

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Research completed to date confirms that beginning science and mathematics teachers face many challenges, and must master numerous areas of teaching skill in order to demonstrate competence in teaching. Most will face the initial year of practice with little or no access to an induction program targeting their content areas (Luft, 2009). Research further suggests that science and math teachers left without critically needed guidance, a comprehensive induction program could provide, often develop practices that do not allow their students to participate in inquiry activities (e.g. labs, simulations, problem solving, research projects ( Luft, Roehrig, & Patterson, 2003). Instead the …

The Impact Of Content Courses On Pre-Service Elementary Teachers’ Mathematical Content Knowledge, Michael Matthews, Janice Rech, Neal Grandgenett

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

In response to research documenting the mathematical deficiencies of pre-service elementary teachers, many teacher preparation programs are requiring mathematical content courses specifically focusing on the mathematics taught at the elementary level. This study considers what impact two such courses (one course focusing on Arithmetic, and the other course focusing on Geometry and Measurement) had on the mathematical content knowledge and attitude towards mathematics by comparing a group of pre-service elementary teachers who took these courses to a group of pre-service elementary teachers who took only a more general mathematics course (such as College Algebra). Results indicated that those teachers who …

Grounded Technology Integration In Mathematics, Neal Grandgenett, Judi Harris, Mark Hofer

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Teachers today can choose from a variety of technologies for teaching mathematics. Drill-and-practice software, virtual manipulatives, real-life data sets, interactive geometry programs, graphing calculators, robots, and computer-based laboratories are just a few of the options available. But it can be difficult for mathematics teachers to know just which technologies to choose to support student learning in particular lessons.

One way to help teachers integrate technologies effectively is to match technology integration strategies to how teachers plan, rather than asking teachers to plan instruction that exploits the opportunities offered by particular educational technologies. For more information, see our previous article ( …

The Use Of Robotics, Gps And Gis Technologies To Encourage Stem-Oriented Learning In Youth, Viacheslav I. Adamchuk, Gwen Nugent, Bradley S. Barker, Neal Grandgenett

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

In our technology rich world, the educational areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) play an increasingly essential role in developing well-prepared specialists for the 21st century workplace. Unfortunately, interest in theses areas has been declining for a few decades. Various innovative educational initiatives in formal and informal learning environments have been undertaken nationally to attempt to encourage STEM-oriented learning. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the particular program described in this paper focuses on middle school youth in non-formal learning environments. The program integrates educational robotics, Global Positioning System (GPS) and geographic information system (GIS) technologies to provide …

What Factors Contribute To The Success Of African American Women In Science And Mathematics: Do Teaching Techniques Matter, Sheryl Mcglamery

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

The session content will focus on the author's research about effective teaching techniques that engage and assist African American women (and others) in succeeding in science and mathematics courses. Several case studies will highlight the effective practice focus of this session.

Affinity Learning In Mathematics, Arthur I. Zygielbaum, Neal Grandgenett

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Teaching complex subjects such as mathematical modeling is intrinsically challenging. It is more so in a typical classroom setting. In this paper, we explore the use of technology to provide an electronic tutor that interacts with both teacher and student to provide a personalized and focused learning experience. Affinity Learning is an environment that captures the skills of a master teacher in a dynamic but simple technical embodiment and presents lessons and assessments online to a student. Initial results not only indicate that learning has occurred, but also distinguish male from female performance and give interesting insight into the learning …

The Effect Of Gender And Age On Ppst Performance In An Urban Teacher Education Program, Judith Harrington

Counseling Faculty Publications

This study examined PPST scores for 318 College of Education students in a midsized, midwestern, urban university. Factors of gender and age were used to compare performance on the three PPST subtests of Reading, Writing and Mathematics. Findings tended to support some gender-stereotypical beliefs with regard to math and verbal abilities. The study's findings did not support the often perceived belief that traditional students outperform nontraditional students. Inferences for urban colleges of Education are discussed.