Transforming Undergraduate Mathematics Education Through Faculty Development in Active Learning and Equity-Minded Instruction

Csu Fullerton Auxiliary Services Corporation, Fullerton CA

Investigators

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national interest by transforming undergraduate mathematics teaching to be more equity-minded and actively engaged. This project will implement and research a robust and evidence-based professional development (PD) program to train and support faculty in adopting an active learning in mathematics (ALM) approach. The ALM approach will have a deliberate focus on equity-minded instruction. Focusing on transforming mathematics instruction is important because of the documented reputation of mathematics courses as gatekeepers, with gaps magnified for students from groups underrepresented in STEM. These gaps limit broader participation in STEM. With an urgent need to improve STEM education, this project uses evidence-based best practices in PD to engage faculty in opportunities to grow as educators through continuous and sustained community-centered activities. A unique emphasis is on building communities of practice through a variety of lower- and higher-stakes PD formats and the specific focus on in-house PD using the department as the unit of change. This project seeks to increase the number of faculty implementing evidence-based, effective, and equitable teaching practices. Investigation of changes in department culture as teaching is transformed will be invaluable to other departments who aspire to change. The long-term goal of the Mathematics Equity through Teaching Actively (META) project is to improve student outcomes in undergraduate mathematics education. META will advance this goal by implementing a novel PD program to transform faculty skills and practices in the near-term and improve student outcomes in the long-term. META will also provide an evidence base for scaling the PD program for adoption at other institutions. To advance understanding of the factors that influence faculty interest in ALM and the success of equity-minded ALM-focused PD, META will conduct research to assess faculty challenges, faculty supports, and institutional characteristics that may affect program outcomes. META research will identify and evaluate the impact of faculty challenges, supports, and faculty adoption of equity-minded ALM at the department level. The project’s research questions are: (1) What are the reported supports and challenges for mathematics faculty who strive to transform their instruction towards equity-minded ALM? and (2) What department-level characteristics support instructional transformation towards equity-minded ALM? To address the research questions, META will collect six data sources: faculty focus groups, individual faculty interviews, assessment surveys from PD activities, recorded pre-observation meetings, completed self-assessment classroom protocols, and recorded post-observation meetings. Data will be analyzed using typological analysis techniques that were employed in META’s pilot project. Results will be disseminated published manuscripts, conference presentations, and distribution among a multitude of existing networks. Findings from META will be of particular interest to departments that are seeking a robust model of PD to support their faculty in becoming more equity-minded while embracing ALM. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Institutional and Community Transformation track, the program supports efforts to transform and improve STEM education across institutions of higher education and disciplinary communities. This project is also supported by the NSF IUSE:HSI program, which seeks to enhance undergraduate STEM education, broaden participation in STEM, and build capacity at HSIs. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.