CAREER: Inviting all 21st century problem-solvers: Building equity by de-tracking middle school mathematics instruction

University Of Oregon Eugene, Eugene OR

Investigators

Abstract

In today's rapidly changing technological world, there is a critical need for 21st century problem-solvers trained in science, technology, mathematics, and engineering (STEM). Students liking and believing they are good at math (positive math affect) is crucial to their continued study in STEM disciplines. Increasing the number of students with positive math affect and supporting their capacity to pursue STEM careers requires engaging and effective mathematics course sequences. However, the practice of separating students into upper and lower-level math courses often limits access to important mathematics as well as to STEM fields for many students. Tracking organizes math coursework both within and across the secondary grades functioning as a gatekeeper for many students. De-tracking pathways, on the other hand, have the potential to broaden access to important mathematics and, ultimately, to STEM fields. This project examines student and teacher experiences with the de-tracking of math sequences in a public school district in Western Oregon. It examines how a district-wide cohort of middle school students, as individuals and in groups, identify with and define what it means to be good at math, and how these identities shift over time as they progress through math sequences. It also establishes a partnership between a mathematics education researcher and a school district (Research Practice Partnership) to study changes in pedagogy, define problems of teaching practice, and design solutions as the district transitions to de-tracked classes. This project focuses on the de-tracking of one school district's math sequences; in particular, the project follows a cohort of middle school students in both tracked and de-tracked conditions. It aims to capture both individual math identities--how students relate to mathematics--and normative (group) identities--how students are recognized as competent math learners in public spaces. Math identity "portraits" are constructed by analyzing the students' drawings of who or what math was to them, written responses on how they know when someone is "good at math," and responses to a Semantic Differential survey designed to elicit beliefs about the five strands of math proficiency. Using mixed methods analysis, the project synthesizes the analysis of data collected from the students at three points in time to construct both individual student math identity "snapshots" that can then be compared across time as they move through tracked and de-tracked sequences. As the district moves to fully de-tracked middle school math pathways, the Research Practice Partnership will collectively determine which problems of practice are critical in supporting newly integrated math classes and examine evidence of multiple ways that students can legitimately show mathematical competence and foster productive mathematical dispositions. This will include adopting and evaluating new pedagogy, curriculum, and assessment methods designed to increase the number of students who are seen, and see themselves, as proficient math learners. The award is funded by the Discovery Research preK-12 program (DRK-12) which seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools. Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects. 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.