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Award Abstract # 1322883
Engaging Mathematics

NSF Org: DUE
Division Of Undergraduate Education
Recipient: HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Initial Amendment Date: September 3, 2013
Latest Amendment Date: September 3, 2013
Award Number: 1322883
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: John Haddock
DUE
 Division Of Undergraduate Education
EDU
 Directorate for STEM Education
Start Date: September 1, 2013
End Date: December 31, 2015 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $550,001.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $550,001.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2013 = $327,776.00
History of Investigator:
  • William David Burns (Principal Investigator)
    david.burns@sencer.net
  • Frank Wattenberg (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Cynthia Kaus (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Mangala Kothari (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, THE
326 MARKET ST
HARRISBURG
PA  US  17101-2208
(717)901-5120
Sponsor Congressional District: 10
Primary Place of Performance: Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
PA  US  17101-2208
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
10
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): QW6TSNVXYKG3
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): S-STEM-Schlr Sci Tech Eng&Math,
TUES-Type 2 Project
Primary Program Source: 04001314DB NSF Education & Human Resource
1300XXXXDB H-1B FUND, EDU, NSF
Program Reference Code(s): 9178, SMET
Program Element Code(s): 153600, 751100
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.076

ABSTRACT

The project Engaging Mathematics: Building a National Community of Practice, is a faculty development and dissemination initiative, which is expanding the work of the NSF funded project Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities (SENCER) by increasing the use of the SENCER model to create, implement, and sustain reforms in mathematics education. SENCER focuses on learning mathematics and science content through "real world" problems and engaging students in course work that is framed within complex civic issues. Engaging Mathematics is creating a wider community of mathematics scholars within SENCER, capable of implementing and sustaining curricular reforms and broadening SENCER impacts. The project offers a persistent and recurring program of national dissemination which includes developing assessment tools to monitor students' perceptions of the usefulness of mathematics, their interest and confidence in doing mathematics, the students' growth in knowledge content, and their ability to apply mathematics to better understand complex civic issues.

Engaging Mathematics is a cooperative program between three lead institutions, Metropolitan State University, LaGuardia Community College, and the United States Military Academy and four partner institutions to develop and assess curricula that teach students mathematics through civic issues. Mathematics faculty not already affiliated with SENCER will be invited and encouraged to use the materials developed through the project and adapt them to their unique institutional needs.

The project provides an opportunity to develop faculty capacity to connect learning in mathematics courses to real and relevant local, regional, national and global issues and thus greatly improve students' retention of specific mathematics concepts and skills, along with their understanding of the role of mathematical modeling and quantitative literacy in everyday life. Engaging Mathematics is producing adaptable mathematics curricula that use the framework of civic issues to study mathematics and its real-world applications and utilize active, inquiry-based pedagogies. The Engaging Mathematics community of practice is generating durable collaborations among faculty members and institutions, fostering cross-fertilization and adoption of innovative courses and practices, enabling effective assessment and disseminating materials to the larger mathematics education community. The impact of the project is helping students appreciate the value and power of mathematics, regardless of their fields of study, and to enable undergraduates to use skills and dispositions developed in these courses to have greater and more effective engagement with the complex civic issues that face them as members of society.

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