Mathematics Of Doing Understanding Learning and Educating for Secondary Schools

The MODULE(S2) project creates curriculum materials that provide undergraduate mathematics instructors with a way to provide opportunities for prospective teachers to develop mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) while they learn content in university algebra, geometry, modeling and statistics courses. The materials are designed to be taught with equity-based teaching practices, including going deep with mathematics and affirming mathematics learners’ identities.  

How You Can Be Involved

We are seeking 14 faculty members to pilot MODULE(S2) materials in university mathematics courses that prospective high school teachers take during the 2019-2020 academic year.  We seek 7 piloters for the statistics materials and 7 for the modeling materials.  Piloting Faculty will be compensated $4000 for: participating in a 4-day summer institute; participating in a teaching community during the academic year; teaching with the materials for a full semester; and participating in activities throughout the term in which the course is taught, including collecting homework assignments, videoing class sessions, and conducting beginning-of-term and end-of-term activities. Please indicate your interest by filling out the form here.  

A Collaborative Effort

We promote collaboration among stakeholders that include piloting faculty, curriculum designers, professional developers, researchers, the leadership team, and board members.  We gather feedback, analyze teaching and learning with materials, and coordinate professional development activities for faculty using MODULE(S2) materials.  

 

 

Who We Are

PI Team:
Cynthia Anhalt, University of Arizona
Jason Aubrey, University of Arizona
Stephanie Casey, Eastern Michigan University
Howard Gobstein, Association of Public & Land-grant Universities   
Brynja Kohler, Utah State University
Yvonne Lai, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Alyson Lischka, Middle Tennessee State University
Andrew Ross, Eastern Michigan University
Jeremy Strayer, Middle Tennessee State University

 

Consultants:  
Emina Alibegovic, Rowland Hall
Samantha Maddox, Jefferson City Schools
Cody Patterson, University of Texas-San Antonio
James Tuttle, Washtenaw Technical Middle College     
Michael Weiss, University of Michigan
John Womack, Sky View High School

 

Advisory Board:
Ricardo Cortez, Tulane University
Christine Franklin, American Statistical Association     
Gary Martin, Auburn University (chair)
Margaret Mohr-Schroder, University of Kentucky
Matthew Ondrus, Weber State University

 

Graduate Students:
Melody Wilson, Eastern Michigan University
Candice Quinn, Middle Tennessee State University
Lindsay Czap, Middle Tennessee State University
Rachel Zigterman, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

 

 

 

MODULE(S2) Specifics

Preparing students to make contributions in the fields of science, statistics, engineering mathematics, and technology is critical for our country to remain a world leader. To accomplish this, it is important for our middle and high school mathematics teachers to be well prepared for teaching mathematics. The Mathematics of Doing, Understanding, Learning and Educating for Secondary Schools (MODULE(S2)) project creates course materials that provide opportunities for prospective teachers to develop mathematical knowledge as it relates specifically to the work of teaching geometry, statistics, algebra, and modeling. These modules can be used in university mathematics courses by faculty at universities and colleges of all types across the United States. The project promotes effective instruction by offering professional development activities for faculty using the modules during the summers and the school year. Additionally, the project investigates the impact of instruction with the modules on prospective teachers' knowledge--thereby informing nationwide efforts in teacher education. This five year project builds on efforts by the Mathematics Teacher Education Partnership (MTE-P) to create a gold standard for the preparation of secondary mathematics teachers across its over 90 member universities.

Evidence has mounted in recent decades that to implement sound mathematics instruction, teachers must possess understandings of content that are specifically applied in the work of teaching (mathematical knowledge for teaching - MKT). To develop MKT, prospective teachers need opportunities to use mathematical knowledge to recognize, respond to, and understand mathematical issues that arise in the context of teaching. Findings from plan-do-study-act cycles that used initial modules developed by the project indicate an increase in prospective secondary teachers' MKT. MODULE(S2) is now expanding these materials and examining the conditions of instruction that impact prospective teachers' MKT, development of MKT, and expectancy and value in using MKT as a resource for teaching. The project uses mixed methods to provide empirically-based accounts of how factors of quality of instruction and of instructional resources impact prospective teachers' MKT. In addition, results are used multiple times per year to improve the MODULE(S2) materials through improvement cycles carried out as a part of the Networked Improvement Community design. 

 

Sample Materials

Here you can find sample Statistics MODULE(S2) materials.

Here you can find sample Modeling MODULE(S2) materials. 

 

Questions?

If you have questions about MODULE(S2), please contact Jeremy Strayer. 

 

 

  
 Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.