Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Journal Of Mathematics And Science: Collaborative Explorations

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

No abstract provided.

A Web Of Influence: How The Msp Program Has Shaped The Thoughts Of Three Instructors, J. Reyes

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

No abstract provided.

Coaching: One Mathematics Specialist's Story, C. B. Doyle

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

No abstract provided.

Teaching Teachers And Students About The Nature Of Science, Nelofer Halai

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

This article advocates the teaching about the nature of science to both pupils in schools and teachers in teacher education institutions in Pakistan. Not knowing about science; teachers tend to continue to teach science as fixed knowledge and not as inquiry and this cycle continues. This cycle needs to be broken. This article first discusses the salient features about the concept of the nature of science and then illustrates these ideas with the help of a simple but a powerful activity which could be used both with teacher educators and pupils in secondary and lower secondary classrooms.

What We Are Learning About The Elementary Mathematics Specialist's Role: Some Reflections About Math Coaching, J. Whitenack, A. Ellington

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Transition Between High School And College Mathematics And Science, S. A. Culpepper, C. Basile, C. A. Ferguson, J. A. Lanning, M. A. Perkins

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Mathematics and science education is gaining increasing recognition as key for the well-being of individuals and society. Accordingly, the transition from high school to college is particularly important to ensure that students are prepared for college mathematics and science. The goal of this study was to understand how high school mathematics and science course-taking related to performance in college. Specifically, the study employed a nonparametric regression method to examine the relationship between high school mathematics and science courses, and academic performance in college mathematics and science courses. The results provide some evidence pertaining to the positive benefits from high school …

A Mathematician's Overview Of The Virginia Elementary Mathematics Specialist Program, L. D. Pitt

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

This article discusses the mathematics component of the Mathematics Specialist master's degree program in the "Virginia Mathematics Specialist Project" (VMSP). It includes my personal views on the significant mathematical knowledge and skills that Mathematics Specialists need, the mathematics that is taught in the Mathematics Specialist courses, and my thoughts on what appear to be the substantial mathematical abilities and aptitudes that are required by successful Mathematics Specialists in their work. The interpretations I present are highly personal and are undoubtedly dependent on my personal history, a short description of which is given (see Appendix A).

Investigating Further Preservice Teachers’ Conceptions Of Multidigit Whole Numbers: Refining A Framework, Eva Thanheiser

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study was designed to investigate preservice elementary school teachers’ (PSTs’) responses to written standard place-value-operation tasks (addition and subtraction). Previous research established that PSTs can often perform but not explain algorithms and provided a four-category framework for PSTs’ conceptions, two correct and two incorrect. Previous findings are replicated for PSTs toward the end of their college careers, and two conceptions are further analyzed to yield three categories of incorrect views of regrouped digits: (a) consistently as 1 value (all as 1 or all as 10), (b) consistently within but not across contexts (i.e., all as 10 in addition but …

Grades 6-8 Ecology, Jessica Williams

Science

This is a lesson for 6th-8th grade students on Ecology. This culminating activity has students creating a brochure or presentation on a National Park of their choice based on differentiated guidelines and rubrics. Through this lesson students will have an understanding of how their knowledge of ecology can be applied to the National Parks through collaborative group work.

Grades 9-10 Algebra: Graphic Quadratics On The Coordinate Plane, Michelle Darcy

Math

This lesson is part of a total unit of graphing quadratics. Each project is tiered and allows the students to see the many different places in which math is present in the world and outside the math classroom. This is part of the Algebra curriculum. Through this lessons students will be able to graph quadratics.

Grade 6-8 Living Things, Theresa Gomez

Science

Abstract: This unit explores the characteristics of living things. Students must evaluate and classify various specimens to determine if they meet agreed upon criteria for life. The unit emphasizes the ways in which different organisms perform the same life functions, and reveals that non-living things may appear to perform some functions but do not perform all functions. The unit culminates in the relation that all living things are made of cells.

Grades 9-12 Earth Science, Katie Whittaker

Science

New York state standards emphasizes the importance of connecting past and present events to possible future events. This lesson plan focuses on the geologic past as it is presented in the New York state referenced tables for Earth Science. The lesson plan features a clip from "you tube" as a hook, a RAFT assignment that embraces theories by Bloom and Gardner, a post card activity to test understanding, and a closure activity where students will predict future events based on patterns from the geological past.

The Relationship Between Timed Drill Practice And The Increase Of Automaticity Of Basic Multiplication Facts For Regular Education Sixth Graders, Nelly P. Knowles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

By the time students transition from elementary to middle school, many do not demonstrate mastery of recalling basic math facts. This 8-week quasi-experimental quantitative study, based in cognitive development and theories of the construction of memory, used a 3-level independent variable experimental design to determine if there was a relationship between teachers' implementation of timed drill practices and the students' level of automaticity with regard to basic multiplication facts in 9 sixth-grade, regular education math classes. The control group received no intervention, the first treatment group received weekly timed drill practice for 3 minutes, and a second treatment group received …

Geometry Examples Encountered In Various Everyday Experiences, R. W. Farley

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

No abstract provided.

Reflections On What You Have Learned: A Rapporteur's Report On Virginia's "What We Have Learned Symposium", D. B. Erchick

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

In this Rapporteur's Report on Virginia's "What We Have Learned Symposium" about a statewide Mathematics Specialist program, I discuss emergent topics resulting from presentations and discussion at the Symposium. Topics include defining Mathematics Specialists and coaches, addressing mathematics content in the program, providing ongoing support for Specialists and coaches, and supporting principals. I also provide suggestions, discuss absences in the program, and comment on cautions in revision and needs in dissemination.

The Effect Of Learning Styles Strategies On Benchmark Eighth Grade Middle School Mathematics Achievement, Jean Ferrara

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low standardized mathematics scores resulted in a suburban middle school not reaching adequate yearly progress (AYP) for the 2 previous years. There were many possible factors contributing to this problem, among them the design of instruction. The purpose of this study was to identify learning styles of students and implement differentiated instructional strategies that address the learners' needs. The study was based on the Silver and Hanson's theory of learning style instruction and Gardner's multiple intelligences as a model for differentiating instruction. This sequential mixed methods quasi-experimental causal comparative design study investigated the effect of classroom intervention based on learning …

Providing Real-World Experiences: The Virginia Tech Externship For Mathematics Specialists, B. Kreye, J. L. M. Wilkins

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

We describe the structure and implementation of the yearlong Externship experience associated with the Mathematics Specialist program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Virginia Tech). We discuss the assignments and experiences included in the Externship, the alignment of those experiences with the job description developed by the Virginia Mathematics and Science Coalition Task Force, and teacher comments on the effectiveness of their Externship experiences [1].

What Counts In The Preparation Program Of Mathematics Specialists And What Lessons Have We Learned About What Needs To Be Added?, S. S. Overcash

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

No abstract provided.

Contents

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

No abstract provided.

Title Page, Introduction

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Elementary Mathematics Specialists, P. F. Campbell, N. N. Malkus

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

Elementary Mathematics Specialists are placed in schools to construct leadership roles and to provide on-site professional development addressing mathematical content and pedagogy in order to enhance instruction and to improve student achievement. A three-year, randomized, control study found that, over time, Specialists had a significant positive impact on student achievement in Grades 3, 4, and 5. This effect on student achievement was not evident at the conclusion of the Specialist's first year of placement. It emerged as knowledgeable Specialists gained experience and as the schools' instructional and administrative staffs learned and worked together. Specialists who were highly engaged with a …

Early Algebra And Mathematics Specialists, M. K. Murray

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

This paper discusses early algebra as it relates to the Mathematics Specialist program. Early algebra is described based on research and readings from the body of literature focused on early algebra. Reasons why early algebra should be emphasized in elementary school mathematics are discussed, followed by a description of the role elementary school Mathematics Specialists must play if schools are to begin to focus on early algebraic instruction. Finally, some suggestions are made for ways the Mathematics Specialist program might encourage more explicitly an early algebraic approach to elementary school mathematics.

High School Teachers' Perspectives On Effective Approaches For Teaching Biology To Students With Special Needs, Agnieszka Kos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The demands of national educational reforms require high school biology teachers to provide high quality instruction to students with and without special needs. The reforms, however, do not provide teachers with adequate teaching strategies to meet the needs of all students in the same context. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to understand high school biology teachers' perspectives, practices, and challenges in relation to teaching students with special needs. This approach was used to develop a substantive model for high school biology teachers who are challenged with teaching students with and without special needs. Data were collected via …

The Impact Of Coteaching On Regular Education Eighth Grade Student Achievement On A Basic Skills Algebra Assessment, Misty B. Rigdon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Coteaching strategies have been implemented in many of the inclusion math classrooms in an attempt to improve the achievement of students. Math achievement continues to be a concern as reported by the National Mathematics Advisory Council in 2007. Educators and previous research reported that coteaching does not improve student achievement. The purpose of this study and the research question was designed to investigate, determine, and examine if coteaching has an impact on regular education students' achievement on an algebra assessment in the eighth grade. This concurrent mixed methods design used test data from a convenience sample of 70 eighth grade …

Professional Development In Elementary School Mathematics, C Scoggins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was an investigation of mathematics instruction and professional development at a rural elementary school. The Department of Education in a southern U.S. state implemented a new curriculum in 2007 that required major changes in mathematics instruction. The problems were that teachers engaged in different levels of training and many students experienced a decline in mathematics scores on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The historical learning theories of Piaget and Vygotsky framed the study. The guiding questions focused on how to improve mathematics instruction through professional development for teachers. Nine elementary school educators served as purposefully selected participants. The …

Introductory Texts, Georgia Association Of Mathematics Teacher Educators

Georgia Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (GAMTE) Annual Conference (2007-2019)

Cover Page

GAMTE Information

Table of Contents

Paper 1: Investigating Mathematical Literacy Through Teacher Language, Alyson Lischka

Georgia Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (GAMTE) Annual Conference (2007-2019)

Communication about mathematical concepts using appropriate terminology is a standard established by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. However, international test results show that United States’ students are lagging in mathematical literacy. This case study analyzes the ways in which instructors use language to help students move toward conceptual understanding of mathematical vocabulary. Three mathematics education professors at a mid-size four year institution were observed teaching math classes to students enrolled in elementary or secondary certification programs. Collected data included: audio-recorded observations and field notes, lesson artifacts such as quizzes and handouts, and audio-recorded interviews with each participant. Findings …

Paper 2: Collaborating To Meet The Standards: Implications For Professional Development, Erik D. Jacobson, Laura M. Singletary

Georgia Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (GAMTE) Annual Conference (2007-2019)

Researchers from the University of Georgia interviewed 27 Mathematics 1 teachers about their experiences during the first year of the high school implementation of the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS). We report our findings about teachers’ experiences with Mathematics 1 professional development and describe features of professional development that teachers identified as most beneficial. Some teachers offered suggestions for professional development that differed from the professional development they had experienced. In addition, we found that many teachers used collaborative strategies to meet the demands of the new curriculum and the perceived inadequacies of resources and training. We discuss the various models …

Paper 5: Embracing The Vision: Our Work With Teachers Implementing Gps, Sarah Ledford, Wendy B. Sanchez, Marian Fox

Georgia Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (GAMTE) Annual Conference (2007-2019)

In 2005, three Kennesaw State University mathematics education faculty members began a series of workshops titled “Implementing the Georgia Performance Standards [GPS]: Embracing the Vision.” This workshop series has been underwritten by Georgia’s Teacher Quality Higher Education Program. The first series of workshops began with 6th grade teachers the first year the GPS was implemented and the project has been funded each subsequent year since its inception. Currently, we are working with Math III teachers as they implement the course for the first time. The initial focus for the project was on conceptual understanding versus procedural understanding, writing tasks that …

Paper 3: Extending K-8 Mathematics Concepts In Alternate Bases, Dianna J. Spence

Georgia Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (GAMTE) Annual Conference (2007-2019)

When learning to represent mathematics with manipulatives, many pre-service K-8 teachers rely on memorized rote procedures to perform the associated mathematical tasks; then they arrange the manipulatives to match their result, often with minimal understanding of underlying mathematical connections. In a Number and Operations course for K-8 pre-service teachers, a portion of the class was conducted in alternate bases: Base 6 and Base 8 Blocks were used to model operations with integers to facilitate deeper understanding of the number systems and arithmetic processes being represented. Fractions and decimals were later covered only in Base 10. On midterm and final exams, …