NSF grant to enhance understanding of student thinking in mathematics “proof-transition courses”
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The National Science Foundation awarded Professor Rossella Santagata a three-year, $300,000 grant to improve instructional teams’ understanding of student mathematical thinking in college-level proof-transition courses.
The project will be conducted in partnership with the UCI Department of Mathematics. Professor Alessandra Pantano and Associate Professor Roberto Pelayo are serving as Co-Principal Investigators. Proof-transition courses, such as Introduction to Abstract Mathematics, introduce students as freshmen or sophomores to proof-writing for the first time. Large percentages of undergraduate students struggle with proof-transition courses and several students consequentially abandon the mathematics major. The notable increase in content difficulty, coupled with the transition from computational to proof-based mathematics, turn these courses into juncture points that determine whether students will pursue studies and careers in STEM. Additionally, the issue affects students from underrepresented groups at a disproportionate rate. |
Professor Rossella Santagata
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The project will design and investigate the efficacy of a video-annotation curriculum centered on teacher noticing and responsive and equitable mathematics instruction. Teacher noticing entails attending to student mathematical thinking and positioning in the classroom, responding strategically and appropriately, and improving both learning and sense of belonging.
The curriculum for this project will include six components: (1) Mathematical tasks designed to elicit and make visible student mathematical thinking about proof-writing; (2) Frameworks to guide instructional teams’ noticing and reasoning about students’ writing of a complete and consistent mathematical proof; (3) A framework that guides instructional teams’ understanding of responsive and inclusive teaching (4) Video clips of students solving mathematical tasks during one-on-one interactions with an instructor and video clips of whole-class interactions; (5) Video-annotation tasks that support the development of noticing of student thinking and the implementation of responsive, equitable and effective mathematics instruction; and (6) A facilitator guide to support implementation of the curriculum that will allow other colleges and universities to utilize it.
“While teacher noticing has been examined extensively in K-12 mathematics classrooms and has informed the design of successful teacher preparation and professional development programs, it has rarely been applied and studied in higher educational settings,” Santagata said. “I am excited to partner with colleagues in the Mathematics department to design and test this innovative video-based curriculum that has the potential to improve the learning experiences of undergraduate students at UCI and beyond.”
The project team will test the curriculum for its impact on instructional teams’ (including course instructors, teaching and learning assistants) knowledge, noticing competencies, and instructional quality, and on their student learning. Findings will be shared via publications and conference presentations, and the curriculum will be made freely available to other institutions, including those serving large percentages of underrepresented students.
The curriculum for this project will include six components: (1) Mathematical tasks designed to elicit and make visible student mathematical thinking about proof-writing; (2) Frameworks to guide instructional teams’ noticing and reasoning about students’ writing of a complete and consistent mathematical proof; (3) A framework that guides instructional teams’ understanding of responsive and inclusive teaching (4) Video clips of students solving mathematical tasks during one-on-one interactions with an instructor and video clips of whole-class interactions; (5) Video-annotation tasks that support the development of noticing of student thinking and the implementation of responsive, equitable and effective mathematics instruction; and (6) A facilitator guide to support implementation of the curriculum that will allow other colleges and universities to utilize it.
“While teacher noticing has been examined extensively in K-12 mathematics classrooms and has informed the design of successful teacher preparation and professional development programs, it has rarely been applied and studied in higher educational settings,” Santagata said. “I am excited to partner with colleagues in the Mathematics department to design and test this innovative video-based curriculum that has the potential to improve the learning experiences of undergraduate students at UCI and beyond.”
The project team will test the curriculum for its impact on instructional teams’ (including course instructors, teaching and learning assistants) knowledge, noticing competencies, and instructional quality, and on their student learning. Findings will be shared via publications and conference presentations, and the curriculum will be made freely available to other institutions, including those serving large percentages of underrepresented students.
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"I look forward to working on this exciting project with the rest of the team, Dr. Santagata and Dr. Pelayo.” Pantano said. “This meaningful project has the potential to increase the success rate of our students, both in the Math 13 course and in the Mathematics major more broadly, and improve the pedagogical preparation of our graduate students."
“The transition from computational to proof-based mathematics is difficult for all math majors,” Pelayo said. “Thus, techniques, such as noticing, that can help during critical courses like Intro to Abstract Math are needed at UCI and around the country. This grant will also provide valuable training for graduate students early in their teaching careers.” |
"While teacher noticing has been examined extensively in K-12 mathematics classrooms and has informed the design of successful teacher preparation and professional development programs, it has rarely been applied and studied in higher educational settings." - Professor Rossella Santagata |
Santagata is also director of the School of Education’s Center for Research on Teacher Development and Professional Practice, which fosters collaborations among faculty, students and practitioners on projects focused on teacher development and learning, the study of teaching and teacher professional practice, and the study of the systems in which the aforementioned are embedded.
The full grant name is Noticing in Mathematics for Student Success (NIMS²): A Video-Annotation Curriculum to Enhance Instructors’ Understanding of Student Thinking in Proof-Transition Courses.
The grant is part of the NSF’s “Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Education and Human Resources” Program, which supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.
The full grant name is Noticing in Mathematics for Student Success (NIMS²): A Video-Annotation Curriculum to Enhance Instructors’ Understanding of Student Thinking in Proof-Transition Courses.
The grant is part of the NSF’s “Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Education and Human Resources” Program, which supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.
