| NSF Org: |
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | July 12, 2011 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | July 12, 2011 |
| Award Number: | 1043831 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Michael Jacobson
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | July 15, 2011 |
| End Date: | June 30, 2013 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $36,538.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $36,538.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
500 S LIMESTONE LEXINGTON KY US 40526-0001 (859)257-9420 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
500 S LIMESTONE LEXINGTON KY US 40526-0001 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): |
S-STEM-Schlr Sci Tech Eng&Math, TUES-Type 1 Project |
| Primary Program Source: |
1300XXXXDB H-1B FUND, EDU, NSF |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.076 |
ABSTRACT
This collaborative project between Morehead State University, Northern Kentucky University, and the University of Kentucky provides information about the extent to which an innovative learning experience focused on the professional noticing of children's numeracy develops preservice teachers' (PSETs') capacity to attend to, interpret, and respond appropriately to the mathematical thinking of children. The project uses a module, Noticing Numeracy Now (N3), developed by the researchers and based on professional literature in the areas of professional noticing and the Stages of Early Arithmetic Learning (SEAL). The research advances knowledge and understanding of how teacher educators can facilitate PSETs' development of professional noticing, knowledge of children's conception of unit, mathematical knowledge for teaching, and positive attitudes toward mathematics. The activities present a creative and potentially transformative approach to the preparation of future elementary teachers through classroom and field activities that explicitly promote the development of the component skills of professional noticing in the context of SEAL.
The Noticing Numeracy Now (N3) module, designed for replication, is being implemented at six universities, the three lead institutions along with Eastern Kentucky University, Murray State University and the University of Louisville. The student populations at these institutions represent cultural and socio-economic diversity, including underrepresented groups. Collectively, the six universities draw their student populations from culturally diverse, urban populations and predominately Appalachian rural populations. Many of the students are the first in their families to study at a university.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The intent of this study was to measure the professional noticing skills, attitudes and beliefs toward mathematics, and mathematics knowledge for teaching for preservice elementary teachers involved in a unique learning experience. Each of the participating researchers taught a unique multi-session module in their elementary mathematics methods courses that embedded the Stages of Early Arithmetic Learning (SEAL) within a module intended to develop professional noticing skills. Pre- and post- measures were collected for each of the variables being studied and analyses are continuing to be studied on those variables and their relationships. Initial smaller sets of data have been analyzed for this report; however, data analyses is an ongoing process and there is more data to be studied.
Professional Noticing (Initial data, n = 94)
A Kruskal-Wallis test was conducted to determine whether there was a statistically significant difference of the changes of the scores from pre-test to post-test between the universities and those changes were not found to be significant in attending (χ2 = 2.022, df = 2, p = 0.364), interpreting (χ2 = 0.541, df = 2, p = 0.763), or deciding (χ2 = 0.837, df = 2, p = 0.364). Despite the significantly lower starting score for deciding at University A, the lack of significance in the changes of the scores between universities indicates that all universities are growing at the same pace and the instructional module has a similar impact on the prospective elementary school teachers at the various institutions involved in the study. Therefore, subsequent analyses and discussion will focus on the entire group of participants instead of stratifying by university.
A Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test was conducted for each of the three questions to determine whether statistically significant gains were found for each component of professional noticing (attending, interpreting, and deciding). Statistically significant increases were found in all three components with deciding having the strongest increase. With lower pre-assessment scores, deciding had more room for growth.
Attitudes Toward Mathematics (Initial data, n = 123)
Paired t-tests were applied to ATMI data to examine PSET change in attitude toward mathematics from pre-assessment to post-assessment. There were statistically significant increases in the enjoyment, self-confidence and motivation factors. There was not a statistically significant change in the fourth factor, value, when all 123 cases were included. However, when the 15 cases that achieved the maximum possible score on the value factor on the pre-assessment were removed, there was a statistically significant increase in this factor from pre- to post-assessment (t = 2.181, p = 0.031).
Mathematics Knowledge for Teaching (Initial Data, n = 166)
When the overall means of the pre and post LMT assessments were compared, it was revealed that the overall mean of the LMT decreased. When they were compared to determine if there was a statistically significant decrease, a paired samples t-test revealed that this decrease was not statistically significant (t = 1.113, df = 165, p = .267).
Relationships Between Professional Noticing and Attitudes Toward Mathematics (Initial data, n = 123)
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