MATH:EAGER:Promoting Undergraduate Success in Early College Mathematics through Graduate Teacher Training (PSECM-GTT)

University Of Colorado At Denver-Downtown Campus, Denver CO

Investigators

Abstract

Mathematics is a central part of all STEM disciplines, and undergraduate success in mathematics courses is an increasingly critical piece of the growing national need to train the next generation of U.S. STEM professionals. Despite this, early undergraduate mathematics courses are often gatekeepers that prevent students from reaching their goals of obtaining a college degree. The Promoting Success in Early College Mathematics through Graduate Teacher Training project at the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) will address this critical national issue through improved teaching preparation for Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) in the Mathematical Sciences. In particular, the project will focus on how a more comprehensive approach to training GTAs can impact their classroom practice and benefit their students, ultimately increasing success, particularly in early undergraduate mathematics courses. Further, a large proportion of PhD graduates, with appointments ranging from community colleges to large research universities, have a significant part of their professional responsibilities focused on teaching undergraduates. By providing an effective model of broad graduate student training that encompasses a wide variety of components, the project will study the impact on the overall undergraduate teaching and student learning effectiveness of the GTAs. This training will also result in a cadre of mathematical sciences faculty who will be prepared to provide thoughtful, skilled, and pedagogically knowledgeable responses to the growing challenges to enabling and supporting student success in early college mathematics. This project will conduct a multi-part research study with the intended purpose of investigating the impact on GTAs during and after the time they complete their enhanced multi-component instructional and pedagogical training. The project will develop several new components for the CU Denver Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences GTA preparation program, which will provide the GTAs with: (1) a deep understanding, grounded in relevant literature, of issues in undergraduate mathematical sciences instruction; (2) opportunities to be mentored by peers and faculty; (3) opportunities to provide peer-mentoring; and (4) outreach opportunities in order to gain an understanding of the student pipeline. Research will include analysis of data on undergraduate student performance and success, retention and satisfaction, a longitudinal qualitative and quantitative analysis of observations of GTA classrooms, an examination of how the training program impacts GTA perceptions of mathematics teaching and learning, and a qualitative analysis on how peer mentoring impacts the experienced GTAs both inside and outside of their classrooms. The project will provide a transportable model and materials that can be adopted and/or adapted by mathematical sciences programs across the country.