Seeing the Connections

Education Development Center, Waltham MA

Investigators

Abstract

The connections between higher- level mathematics such as abstract algebra and mathematics generally taught at the secondary level are deep. But rarely are these connections made explicit in the education of pre-service teachers Hence their potential contributions to the teaching of secondary mathematics is left undiscovered. These connections are often left undiscovered in professional development for in-service teachers as well. Seeing the Connections is a collaborative among the Education Development Center, The University of New Hampshire and California State University at Chico. The project produces, pilots, and disseminates curriculum modules that help teachers develop a knowledge of mathematics for teaching that bridges the gap between higher level mathematics and the mathematics generally taught at the secondary level. These modules form a library of materials that are innovative in addressing the needs of both pre-service and practicing secondary mathematics teachers. The project builds mechanisms to ensure wide dissemination of the developed material, which contributes to the intellectual merit of the field. The project pilots both new and revised materials from previous proof of concepts for a variety of college and university settings for both mathematics content courses and mathematics education courses. The broader impacts are realized through the broad piloting and dissemination of the developed modules.