Mathematics Instruction using Decision Science and Engineering Tools

North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC

Investigators

Abstract

A collaboration among educators, engineers, and mathematicians in three universities, the proposed project will create, implement, and evaluate a new, one-year curriculum and textbook for teaching a non-calculus, fourth year, high school mathematics course and accompanied assessment instruments. The curriculum will draw on decision-making tools that include but go well beyond linear programming, to enhance student mathematical competence (particularly solving multi-step problems), improve students' attitudes toward mathematics, and promote states' adoption of the curriculum (initially NC and MI). The first semester of the curriculum will focus on deterministic decision models and the second semester on probabilistic decision models. Corresponding materials and professional development experiences for teachers, including a one-semester university course, will be produced and field-tested, so that a support community is created and sustained. The core assumption for producing the new curriculum is that students are likely to be motivated and successful in learning mathematics via solving problems of relevance and interest to them here and now - not in some remote future. The team will select problem situations/contexts that are conducive to attracting females and underrepresented groups into mathematics and related fields, such as running a T-shirt business, choosing a deductible on collision insurance, and selecting a college or a used car. To assist teachers who implement the curriculum, a web-based teacher support infrastructure will be created, alongside a 'Rapid Response Traveling Help Team' that will provide onsite assistance as needed. Using pre- and post-treatment instruments, an external evaluator will analyze the impact of the new curriculum on student outcomes in a total of 50 experimental and 50 control classrooms in both states (about 3,000 students in all). These classrooms will be selected, stratified, and data of student outcomes analyzed based on socio-economic and underrepresented groups. Seven dissemination strategies will be utilized, including securing a contract with Key Curriculum Press by Year 3, and publishing the textbook and submitting it for adoption to the state-relevant decision-making bodies by Year 5.