Collaborative Research: Elementary Mathematics for Teachers

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge LA

Investigators

Abstract

Mathematical Sciences (21) This collaborative project is strengthening the mathematics preparation of K-8 teachers by continuing the development of a one-year college course taught in a mathematics department and by the creation of materials to support instructors teaching such courses. This new course provides pre-service K-8 teachers with a solid knowledge of elementary mathematics in a form that is immediately useful in classrooms. It incorporates recent insights into what knowledge is especially useful to teachers and it is structured in a manner that mathematics faculty and teaching assistants will find familiar, easy to implement, and appealing. The PIs have completed a textbook, focused on arithmetic, for the first semester of this course and have a preliminary version of a written second textbook focused on measurement and geometry. The central innovation is to base the course on the study of the exceptionally-clear elementary school textbooks from Singapore. This project is also creating, pilot testing, and disseminating several sets of materials that include: (1) web-based problem sets and practice exams for students, (2) web resources for instructors, including a bank of carefully-selected quiz and exam questions, and (3) a manual that provides lesson plans and guidance to instructors and departments who wish to use this approach in courses for elementary teachers. The emphasis is on ease-of-use and relevance to K-8 teaching. The project design includes evaluations and several levels of feedback aimed at ensuring that this material is manageable, effective, and immediately useful to students and instructors.