Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education: A Distance Learning Model for High School Statistics Teachers

California Polytechnic State University Foundation, San Luis Obispo CA

Investigators

Abstract

"A Distance Learning Model for High School Statistics Teachers" proposes a collaboration between the American Statistical Association, university faculty (Cal Poly and UCLA), and secondary teachers to develop and pilot a sequence of two courses for high school mathematics teachers whose training has not adequately prepared them to teach statistics. The primary professional development resource currently available for enhancing statistics knowledge is a weeklong workshop, which lacks a mechanism for continued learning and sustained support. By combining a workshop with a yearlong distance education component, this project provides a model of professional development in content areas mandated by curricular change. More specifically, the project will have two parts: a Content Course and a Practicum Course. The two courses have a common format comprised of a weeklong workshop followed by a yearlong, online distance learning component. Both courses also include additional components. This three-year project will enroll a total of 108 high-school teachers. Upon completion of the project, efforts will be focused on the dissemination of (1) the content course and (2) a model for improving teacher qualifications in other SMET content areas undergoing curricular change, such as physics and chemistry.