Sponsors

California State University at Los Angeles – Progress Report

Activities and Projects

Planning Phase Activity 1. The collaboration between the mathematics educator (principalinvestigator) and the mathematics teacher has already begun. In Fall 2004,the PI will be an observer in the secondary teacher's classroom. Data willbe collected on how teacher's content knowledge affects his or her approachesto answer student questions, and interpretation of student answers. Examples of student thinking patterns, as well as analyses of activities from the high-school curriculum will add to these data.

Drafting Phase Activity 2. The mathematics educator will then collaborate with the mathematician(Spring 2005) to draft mathematical problems that make these connections explicit. A textbook (Mathematics for High-school Teachers, An Advanced Perspective)co-authored by the external advisor (Tony Peressini) is currently under perusal for possible adoption / supplement.

Goal 1. Mathematics could be taught through examples of studentthinking, analyses of activities from the high-school curriculum, and writingor revising problems. An important task for us will be to embed the aboveideas, as we build the courses for the future 9-12 teachers. Goal 2. We seek to involve mathematicians from our department as the project goes into its implementation phase. We also plan to seek their advice and involvement in the planning phase.

Implementation Phase Goal 3. The courses we plan to create could be team-taught (by mathematiciansand mathematics educators), each member of the team highlighting how a conceptcan be vertically integrated and approached from different vantage points.