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Eric.ed.gov – Preparing College Teachers To Integrate Math and Language Instruction.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: A project to develop special training materials to introduce college teachers to the math-language approach is reported. The materials link language learning techniques to mathematics concept formation and are intended for teachers of limited-English-proficient (LEP) students. Specialists in both fields produced a three-part training package consisting of an instructor’s guide and a video program, to be used as an introduction to and rationale for using the approach, and as a general blueprint for a text and workbook produced by the Center for Applied Linguistics and entitled “English Skills for Algebra.” The report describes activities undertaken in developing the materials and assessing their effectiveness as compared to the conventional workshop method of teacher training. Results of interviews and surveys indicate that the materials provide the necessary classroom guidance… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Preparing STEM Teachers: The Key to Global Competitiveness

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Like many sectors in society, the teacher preparation community is working to address challenges the nation faces in relation to global competitiveness. This document highlights institutions around the country that are preparing tomorrow’s teachers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Well-known shortages of qualified math and science teachers continue to exist in most states and districts across the country. Thus unprepared teachers are assigned to teach math or science “out of field,” although research shows that students learn more from mathematics and science teachers who studied teaching methods in the subject they teach than from those who did not. In addition, the annual turnover rates of both math and science teachers of 16% are the highest of all fields. Schools, colleges, and departments… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Charter Schools as Nation Builders: Democracy Prep and Civic Education. Policy Brief 4

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This policy brief is the first in a series of in-depth case studies exploring how top-performing charter schools have incorporated civic learning in their school curriculum and school culture. This paper introduces Democracy Prep, a network of seven public charter schools with a civic mission at its core. Democracy Prep’s founder and superintendent is Seth Andrew, an energetic former teacher born and raised in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. Andrew’s passion for civic activism and academic rigor are at the center of Democracy Prep’s model. The network’s motto–“Work hard. Go to college. Change the world!”–couples the “no-excuses” charter school movement’s emphasis on student achievement with a decidedly civic focus. The fact that Democracy Prep is a charter school is crucial to its civic mission.… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Characterization of a Unique Undergraduate Multidisciplinary STEM K-5 Teacher Preparation Program

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The K-5 school years are crucial, setting the framework for all subjects as well as critical thinking skills. The single most important component in a classroom is the teacher. However, in a formative timeframe for elementary-school aged children, the number of K-5 teachers that are educated with a Science, Technology, Engineering or Math specialization (“STEM”) is substantially underrepresented. At The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) it was felt that the Department of Technological Studies was well positioned to provide a unique academic major by combining the T&E with the M&S components of STEM, resulting in a program breadth that matches the breadth of skills needed by a highly skilled K-5 teacher. Such a program was established at TCNJ and is formally referred to as the Math-Science-Technology or… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – International Education in the 21st Century: The Importance of Faculty in Developing Study Abroad Research Opportunities

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This paper argues for a reimagining of education abroad that fuses short-term programming with some kind of experiential research component led by home campus disciplinary faculty, especially those in the sciences, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, in order to better integrate the study abroad program into the core undergraduate curriculum. To show how this could be done, this paper: (1) provides a brief background on study abroad; (2) reviews the relevant literature on the learning goals, program assessment, and faculty engagement in education abroad programs; (3) examines the current state of academic integration within study abroad; (4) explores the growth in undergraduate research at both home and overseas; and (5) identifies the unique opportunities represented in the extensive patterns of international faculty research collaborations, and explains… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – What Works? Common Practices in High Functioning Afterschool Programs across the Nation in Math, Reading, Science, Arts, Technology, and Homework–A Study by the National Partnership. The Afterschool Program Assessment Guide. CRESST Report 768

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: In an effort to identify and incorporate exemplary practices into existing and future afterschool programs, the U.S. Department of Education commissioned a large-scale evaluation of the 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) program. The purpose of this evaluation project was to develop resources and professional development that addresses issues relating to the establishment and sustainability of afterschool programs. Fifty-three high functioning programs representative across eight regional divisions of the nation, including rural and urban programs, community-based and school district related programs, were identified using rigorous methods. Exemplary practices in program organization, program structure, and especially in content delivery were studied. The findings were synthesized into the Afterschool Toolkit that was made available to programs nationwide via the world-wide-web. Professional development was conducted consistently and extensively throughout the… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Math Academy: Can You See It in Nature? Explorations in Patterns & Functions. Book 2: Supplemental Math Materials for Grades 3-8

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Created by teachers for teachers, the Math Academy tools and activities included in this booklet were designed to create hands-on activities and a fun learning environment for the teaching of mathematics to students. This booklet contains the “Math Academy–Can You See It in Nature? Explorations in Patterns & Functions,” which a teacher can use to enhance his/her math instruction while staying true to the academic rigor required by the state standards framework. It contains all the activities used for the patterns and functions Math Academy. This Math Academy is designed to help students understand the connection between geometric and numerical patterns (younger students) as well as between patterns and functions (older students). One may choose to implement a grade-level or school-wide Math Academy as the author originally… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Synchronous Online Collaborative Professional Development for Elementary Mathematics Teachers

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Math is often taught poorly emphasizing rote, procedural methods rather than creativity and problem solving. Alberta Education developed a new mathematics curriculum to transform mathematics teaching to inquiry driven methods. This revised curriculum provides a new vision for mathematics and creates opportunities and requirements for professional learning by teachers. Conventional offsite, after school, or weekend professional development is typically “sit and listen, maybe try on Monday”. Professional development that is embedded, responsive, and personalized is known to be more effective at changing teaching practice. Alberta teachers are geographically dispersed making online professional learning a desirable alternative to on-site workshops. As access to and use of the Internet gains momentum in schools across the country, opportunities for collaborative, online professional development become more viable. The online professional development… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Improving Middle Grades STEM Teacher Content Knowledge and Pedagogical Practices through a School-University Partnership

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This paper outlines a University-School District partnership with the intent to increase the number of middle grades mathematics and science teachers. This externally funded initiative includes onsite, authentically situated professional development for pre- and in-service teachers at three different urban, low-socioeconomic schools with a majority Hispanic population of students. Program objectives include increasing mathematics and science content knowledge, increasing self-efficacy in teaching math and science, building and incorporating a success-driven school culture and infrastructure to increase student performance in a well-articulated, scalable and transformable model. Program components include site based common planning times, STEM Thursdays where science and mathematics lessons are practiced and refined, authentic summer research opportunities for pre- and in-service teachers to work with scientists and university faculty, teacher certification workshops and a mentoring model… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – The Woodrow Wilson Ohio Teaching Fellowship: A Five-Year Statewide Investment to Improve Teacher Preparation

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Both Ohio’s state leadership and its foundation community recognized that, to move forward in a global economy, Ohio would need a highly trained workforce that would attract high tech companies to the state. Though STEM shortages have been a pervasive problem for decades, with the election of a new Governor in 2008, there was call to action from state higher education executive officers to address the STEM shortage areas as well as the growing achievement gap. In the years leading up to 2010, the state had significant teacher shortages in ten subject areas, with the greatest need in mathematics, sciences, and special education. These shortages, already severe, were projected to worsen as the state looked to adopt new rules for additional math and science courses required for… Continue Reading