eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The Weaving Gender Equity into Math Reform project at TERC has created a two- hour workshop session on equity in the standards-based mathematics classroom that is appropriate for use as a professional development tool with teachers, staff developers, after-school program providers, and other educators who work with parents. “What is Equity?” can be used as a stand-alone workshop or as part of an extended in- service training program for teachers and administrators. This session is intended to address equity related issues that surface in standards-based reform mathematics classrooms. Issues of teacher and student learning are also addressed along with discussions around specific equity issues that participants face in their school and classroom environments. The beginning of the session asks participants to reflect on their own experiences in… Continue Reading →
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This report on the SCALE Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) Case Studies line of work provides preliminary findings about SCALE activities at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison). This study focuses on the structural and behavioral dynamics influencing the implementation of the four core SCALE strategies for effecting change in IHEs: (1) reform undergraduate science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses; (2) promote collaboration between STEM and education departments regarding pre-service teacher education; (3) promote collaboration between IHEs and K-12 districts regarding in-service professional development; and (4) improve institutional policies and practices at the IHE level that support faculty engaged in pre- and in-service activities. Preliminary findings indicate that SCALE is making progress in each of these areas. Through the Math Masters and Immersion Unit professional development programs… Continue Reading →
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This keynote address focuses on equity in science and mathematics education. The science and math achievement of minority and poor children are discussed from an instructional policy perspective with emphasis on who gets access to what knowledge. The discussion about the politics of knowledge acquisition involves a discussion of race, class, and gender and highlights the fact that even though there have been substantial gains, the fact remains that a student’s status as minority or poor or female severely impairs that student’s likelihood of acquiring a quality educational experience, particularly with regard to science and math. An analysis of data reveals that with respect to curriculum there are no substandard schools; however, there are significant differences in teacher qualifications and teacher attitudes. Compared to students not in… Continue Reading →
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Both the concept of sustainable development and the nature of education for sustainable development (ESD) are highly contested. ESD can be construed as a part of sustainable development policy as governments attempt to bridge the “value-action gap” between what we know we should be doing (e.g. to combat climate change) and what we actually do. Alternatively sustainability can be construed as a “frame of mind”; within this paradigm ESD is seen as a way of bringing to the surface underlying values and beliefs through the exploration of contradictions and arguments. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education is equally contested. At one end it is seen as a pre-vocational learning or even training to encourage students to pursue science and maths in particular en route to professional… Continue Reading →
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars was delighted to host a group of current and former Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellows as they celebrated the 20th anniversary of the fellowship program. Outstanding math and science teachers in America’s K-12 schools, the Einstein Fellows spend a year (or sometimes two) working on Capitol Hill or in the science related offices of several federal agencies. The 1990 cohort of Einstein Fellows was part of a growing national concern about the performance of Americas K-12 schools and the lagging performance of American students in mathematics and science. Now, 20 years later they continue to be a part of a growing federal role in seeking excellence and equal opportunity in the nation’s schools. The road to effective education reform has… Continue Reading →
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Under waivers to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, the federal government required states to identify schools where targeted subgroups of students have the lowest achievement and to implement reforms in these “Focus Schools.” In this study, we examine the Focus School reforms in the state of Kentucky. The reforms in this state are uniquely interesting for several reasons. One is that the state developed unusually explicit guidance for Focus Schools centered on a comprehensive school-planning process. Second, the state identified Focus Schools using a “super subgroup” measure that combined traditionally low-performing subgroups into an umbrella group. This design feature may have catalyzed broader whole-school reforms and attenuated the incentives to target reform efforts narrowly. Using regression discontinuity designs, we find that these reforms led to… Continue Reading →
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Rural schools, like others in the nation, are enjoined to use national and state standards as the basis for educational reform. Moreover, national standards for mathematics education were established early (1989) and have been disseminated widely. Nevertheless, little is known about the dynamics of standards-based reform of mathematics in rural schools. This paper reports findings from a set of four case studies of mathematics education in rural secondary schools to provide insights into the dynamics of instructional reform. Analysis of data from interviews, observations, and documents revealed two emergent themes: (1) math teachers address calls for improvement by building on traditional practices and (2) math teachers meld traditional and reform practices. Link til kilde
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Among state community college systems, the 13 community colleges under the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) are probably the furthest along in implementing guided pathways reforms. All 13 colleges are implementing what they call “Tennessee completion practices”–reforms to help students choose, enter, navigate, and complete programs that prepare them for further education and careers. This report describes how the colleges are operationalizing the Tennessee completion practices in their own contexts, as well as how trends in leading indicators of student completion have changed since the reforms began. Drawing on colleges’ detailed self-assessments of their progress and telephone interviews with college administrators, staff, and faculty, the authors discuss how far along the colleges are in implementing completion practices in each of the four major areas of guided pathways… Continue Reading →
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Last week President Barack Obama announced that the administration plans to waive some aspects of the No Child Left Behind law. But states have to develop solid plans to improve instruction to receive a waiver. Specifically, states must adopt college- and career-ready standards for all students, focus interventions on the bottom 15 percent of low-performing schools, and develop teacher evaluation systems using student performance. Commentators are fixated on waiving the high-profile pieces of the law such as the timeline for ensuring all students are proficient in reading and math and seeking flexibility for the highly qualified teacher targets. But a critical waiver option on expanded learning time is being overlooked in all the hoopla. Expanded learning time is a valuable tool for improving student achievement, as demonstrated… Continue Reading →
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eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Because the key agent in mathematics and science reform is the teacher, this issue of the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Mathematics and Science Education (ENC) Focus highlights professional development. Whatever curriculum change is adopted in a school district, whatever new textbook series is chosen, it is through the teacher that the program will be adapted and translated into classroom activities and assignments. This issue lists 31 resources (books, videotapes, CD-Roms, the Internet) related to professional development in mathematics and science education. The resources featured in this issue were selected from the existing collection at ENC and can be used in a variety of settings from self-study to group study, in consultation with peers and supervisors, and as part of an inquiry into practice or an action research… Continue Reading →
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