Library

Abstract: Over the past six years, the $9.3 million NSF-funded NebraskaMATH grant has impacted more than 700 teacher leaders across the state. The NebraskaMATH Final Report, published in 2015, showcases the scope of the grants three core programs, Primarily Math, New Teacher Network and Nebraska Algebra, as well as the programs that grew from them. The report tells some of the stories of NebraskaMATH and its impact on mathematics teaching and learning in Nebraska.

Abstract: "We are increasingly seeing an emphasis on STEM integration in high school classrooms such that students will learn and apply relevant math and science content while simultaneously developing engineering habits of mind. However, research in both science education and engineering education suggests that this goal of truly integrating STEM is rife with challenges. As such, this paper reports upon the efforts of an NSF-funded project to translate the lessons learned in science classrooms--in which the science learning goals are contextualized within engineering challenges--to engineering classrooms--in which the engineering practices are an additional, and important, learning goal. In particular, this paper identifies design principles for facilitating student application of math and science concepts while they engage in the practices of engineering. We explain the intent and learning theories behind each principle. In addition, we reify each goal by illustrating its application in our yearlong engineering course."

Abstract: "In recent years, there has been a demand to teach engineering in high schools, particularly using a challenge-based curriculum. Many of these programs have the dual goals of teaching students the engineering design process (EDP), and teaching to deepen their understanding and ability to apply science and math concepts. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, this study examines whether a high school design engineering program accomplishes each of the two goals. During the 2010-2011 school year, over 100 students enrolled in the same design engineering course in seven high schools. Evidence of learning and application of the EDP is accomplished by triangulating student interviews with pre-/post-tests of EDP-related questions and a survey of design engineering beliefs. To determine whether students could apply science and math concepts, we examined content test questions to see if students used science and math ideas to justify their engineering work, and triangulated these results with student interviews. The results are mixed, implying that although there is some learning, application is inconsistent."

Abstract: As an increasing number of school districts around the country adopt the Next
Generation Science Standards (NGSS), curricula aligned with these standards
are in demand. Progression models provide a foundation for developing
curricular units that sequentially support one another to guide students
through coherent learning. Various models are possible for a given set of
standards. The selected model must address the unique conditions and needs
of the education initiative. Here we present and explain a progression model
and bundling of the 59 performance expectations for the NGSS middle-school
grade band. This model, the Unit Challenge Progression Model, provides the
basis for developing units that engage students in addressing challenges of
societal relevance while learning and applying content and practices from
multiple STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines
in a coherent progression. Preliminary results from pilot testing of curricular
units indicates that the bundling of performance expectations presented
here, and the incorporation of supporting subcomponents of performance
expectations, help to achieve integration of STEM disciplines while allowing
for learning of STEM content within units. This progression model continues
to be refined as additional curricular units are pilot-tested in schools.

Abstract: "The Math Science Technology Education Partnership (MSTP, 2003) is one of the NSF MSP-targeted projects that has as its primary mission the improvement of middle school mathematics instruction and student learning in mathematics, science, and technology education classes. It is the only MSP project that uses engineering design as one of its key elements. The thesis of the project was simple: with more instructional time devoted to mathematics, and with mathematics taught with current pedagogical practice, student learning should improve. As part of the MSTP Project, we have been refining professional development for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers, with a particularly strong focus on mathematics and science teachers. The paper will provide an overview of the three-year evolution in STEM professional development and a detailed examination of the current state."

Abstract: "The Common Core State Standards for Mathematical Practice describe "varieties of expertise that mathematics educators at all levels should seek to develop in their students." [CC] These eight mathematical practices are consistent with the definition for Challenging Courses and Curricula developed by the NSF-supported Greater Birmingham Mathematics Partnership (GBMP). The four main attributes of challenging mathematics courses are that they deepen knowledge of important mathematical ideas, promote inquiry and reflection, develop productive disposition, and foster communication. We describe classroom practice with examples from GBMP classrooms that illustrate our definition of challenging courses and develop the student proficiencies described in the Standards for Mathematical Practice."

Abstract: The 2003-2007 "PreKindergarten/ Kindergarten FOCUS! Science, Mathematics, and Reading Training Schools (SMARTS) Leadership Institute" (PreK/K FOCUS!SMARTS) was a unique component of the University of California-Irvine FOCUS! (Faculty Outreach Collaborations Uniting Scientists, Students, and the Schools) project, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 2002. A major goal of the UCI FOCUS! project was to address the national challenge to improve the quality, quantity and diversity of the teacher workforce in mathematics and science through a partnership joining the efforts of teachers and administrators in three PreK-12 school districts in Southern California collaborating with university Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) faculty and staff and professional development leaders in the UCI Center for Educational Partnerships. This paper highlights professional literature and research documents which emphasize the importance of integrating science, math, and literacy in PreK-12 learning environments. Content, resources, early childhood leaders, and researchers introduced during the four years of the PreK/K FOCUS!SMARTS Leadership Institute are highlighted. Six former participants share reflections demonstrating how Key Features of the National Science Foundation Math Science Program were addressed: (1) Partnership-driven; (2) Teacher Quality, Quantity, and Diversity; (3) Challenging Courses and Curricula; (4) Evidence-Based Design and Outcomes; (5) Institutional Change and Sustainability. "Other Lessons Learned: Parent Involvement" and "Next Steps" provide suggestions for educators, community leaders, and policymakers to consider in future planning.

Abstract: "The Duke University TASC Project (Teachers and Scientists Collaborating) is an NSF Mathematics and Science Partnership funded program designed to provide professional development and a loan system in science kits. These kits include curriculum units by FOSS, SEPUP, TRACS and STC, all endorsed by the National Science Foundation. TASC partners with several school systems in central North Carolina to implement this project with each system free to develop their own plans for implementation. These systems developed various plans for training their teachers and for leasing the kits from TASC. For instance, some of the school systems chose to send all primary grade teachers and others randomly chose teachers to attend the training sessions. This study seeks to discern the possible effects of the implementation of these different plans on the impact of the TASC program."

Abstract: "The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released its first national impact report assessing the NSF Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program, which was established in 2002 to integrate the work of higher education with K-12 to strengthen and reform mathematics and science education. The document reports progress on improving teacher quality, quantity and diversity; developing challenging courses and curricula; emphasizing evidence-based design and outcomes; and promoting institutional change. It highlights examples of partnerships at all levels of education in communities across the country, and outlines impacts on student proficiency and benefits of professional development for teachers."

Abstract: Strengthening America by advancing academic achievement in mathematics and science
"The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released its second national impact report for the NSF Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program, which was established in 2002 to integrate the work of higher education with K-12 to strengthen and reform mathematics and science education. The document identifies progress on improving teacher quality, quantity and diversity; developing challenging courses and curricula; emphasizing evidence-based design and outcomes; and promoting institutional change. The report highlights examples of partnerships at all levels of education in communities across the country, and includes examples of positive impacts for students and benefits of professional development for teachers." Related Document: MSP Impact Report, Jan. 2007

Abstract: "This study addresses the impact of a multi-institutional collaboration among disciplinary science faculty to develop undergraduate content courses for future elementary teachers in biology and geology. We report evidence of faculty change in three key areas: (1) Knowledge and beliefs about science teaching and learning; (2) Knowledge and beliefs about K12 teachers and teaching; and (3) Knowledge and beliefs about collaborative practices of effective groups. We also describe evidence of institutional changes initiated and implemented by the faculty as a consequence of the curriculum development project."

Abstract: For the last quarter century, the focus on education reform has been directed at the K-12 sector. With the 1998 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act and the 2002 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (the so-called No Child Left Behind Act), policy and legislation has turned to the role of postsecondary education as a lever for school reform. In conjunction with demands for improved teacher preparation, a number of organizations have issued public calls for colleges and universities to increase the number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates to combat a perceived loss in U.S. technological and scientific expertise (Cordova, 2006; National Academies, 2005; Business Higher Education Forum, 2005).

One major response to these demands is the National Science Foundation (NSF) Math Science Partnerships (MSP) program, which has provided $600 million for institutions to create and sustain partnerships between K-12 and higher education to improve STEM teaching and learning in both K-12 and higher education. Symposium presenters include two STEM faculty involved in MSPs, a policy scholar involved in research on alignment and teacher preparation, and a researcher with the NSF-funded Change and Sustainability in Higher Education (CASHE) project (National Science Foundation, 2005).

Objectives Presenters will share experiences and research on advances in policy and practice resulting from the NSF MSP initiative, including the challenges of defining and maintaining partnerships across distinct educational sectors; the roles involved in creating and sustaining curricular changes that align with local, state, and disciplinary standards; the nature of university reward systems, and the challenges of managing partnerships for change within and across different types of IHEs.

Abstract: Teachers participating in the College Ready MSP have used the enactment of curriculum resources as a professional development activity. Curriculum materials and/or instructional methods from the College Ready workshops are revised in collaboration with program staff to best serve their students and their classrooms. These projects use research-based methods including backwards design and learning cycles to shift to more student-centered instructional methods.

Abstract: "College Ready participants have been encouraged to revise curriculum materials in ways that will better serve their students and be consistent with their instructional resources. To help guide decisions about the revision of curriculum, participants each year have been given the opportunity to survey their students readiness to learn. These surveys have addressed student beliefs about the nature of knowledge, the nature of science, and their role in learning. Teachers have also been given the opportunity to complete similar surveys that can inform curriculum development by investigating the accuracy of the teachers perception of student beliefs. Summaries of these comparisons are provided here for all courses for which both College Ready teachers and their students responded to the survey."

Abstract: "The purpose of many animal studies at early grades is to build observation skills, develop a knowledge base, and practice age-appropriate science skills like comparing, describing, and drawing. While these are important learning experiences, the National Science Education Standards also recommend that students engage in scientific inquiry (NRC 2000). Our SCALE team of educators, curriculum developers, district administrators, and scientists believe that it is possible and beneficial for even the youngest students to participate in a rigorous scientific inquiry that builds a conceptual understanding of animals and the nature of studying animals. To test this idea, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Madison Metropolitan School District created an inquiry-based unit, or an immersion unit, on animals, implemented it in kindergarten classrooms, and observed the students' responses. Our unit focused on guiding students to formulate explanations about animals based on scientific evidence."

Abstract: This article describes the use of design briefs, which exemplify the process of scientific inquiry, wherein a problem is identified, investigated, and analyzed. During the process, it is expected that students will engage in researching existing ideas, crafting new thoughts, selecting and testing possible solutions, and analyzing data. It is also expected that students will evaluate their data-supported outcomes and present their findings in meaningful ways. Classroom teachers will find this methodology an effective approach to scientific inquiry because it places the responsibility for learning onto the shoulders of the students by describing what is required, but not how to get there.

Abstract: Begun in October 2002, the New Jersey Math Science Partnership (NJ MSP) was a five-year, $12.3 million mathematics and science education reform initiative federally funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NJ MSP involved a multifaceted collaboration of two university partners (Rutgers University and Rowan University) and 11 partner districts that span several northern, central, and southern geographic counties in New Jersey. The partner districts collectively serve over 75,000 students and, in their combined 109 schools, employ approximately 4,000 teachers of math and science. The NJ MSP was one of only two MSP projects nationally that incorporated a special focus on math and science learning in early childhood education (ECE). A full-time Early Childhood (EC) Specialist was hired by Rutgers to oversee the ECE professional development component. In September 2005, the National Science Foundation (the funding source for the NJ MSP) determined that the NJ MSP would phase out during its fourth year of implementation (by May 30, 2006) and requested that a study be conducted on the ECE component.

Study Design. The study focused specifically on the "learning communities" professional development series that was implemented in the final year of the NJ MSP initiative, from July 2005 to May 2006. Purposes of the study were to (1) describe the design rationale, goals, and objectives of the ECE component; (2) describe the level of district participation in the ECE professional development series and the characteristics of participating districts; (3) describe the implementation structure of the professional development series; (4) provide evidence on the ways in which NJ MSP met its ECE professional development objectives for improving teachers' knowledge of the exploration of math and science content, improving teachers' dispositions towards math and science, and equipping teachers with strategies to assess and support the translation of science content into the learning environment; and (5) offer lessons learned from the NJ MSP ECE component that may serve to inform other initiatives that seek to build teachers' capacity to translate math and science concepts into preK learning environments.

Abstract: "The ultimate goal of any professional development opportunities for teachers ought to be the improvement of student learning. It is a goal of the Math in the Middle Institute Partnership (M²) to examine the link between increasing teachers' capacity through professional development and raising the level of student achievement. There are a number of other researchers who have pursued similar lines of inquiry (Cohen & Hill, 2000; Desimone, Porter, Garet Yoon, & Beirman, 2002; Swanson & Stevenson, 2002). This project faces the unique challenge of trying to study change in student learning as a result of professional development offered through the Math in the Middle Institute Partnership to 96 Nebraska teachers spread across more than 77,000 square miles, teaching in 47 different school districts and 67 different schools in a context where there exists no common statewide assessment system. This study presents preliminary findings from one part of the Math in the Middle Institute Partnership's research agenda, the Math in the Middle Institute Partnership's initial efforts to create and administer a common assessment to Math in the Middle teachers' middle school students. The study includes both quantitative and qualitative analyses of the variation of students' responses to the assessment given in Fall 2005 as well as a critique of the assessment problems themselves."

Abstract: This article describes three challenging yet accessible mathematics courses designed especially for middle school teachers and offered by the Department of Mathematics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). The descriptions found in this article are based on the courses as we have taught them as part of the Math in the Middle Institute Partnership (M2), a National Science Foundation Math Science Partnership (MSP) program that works with practicing teachers. As a grant funded MSP, we take seriously the responsibility to share information about our program and the courses we have created. Readers are directed to our web site for a wealth of information about our program and specifically to our course materials for a link to additional information about the courses described in this article as well as other courses that we offer.

Abstract: The Math and Science Partnership Management Information System (MSP MIS) presents annual findings from the MSP MIS for Comprehensive, Targeted, and Institute MSP projects for 2002-03 through the 2010-11 school years. Key Findings include: - What organizations were involved in the MSP program? - What were the contributions of the individuals involved in the design and delivery of MSP activities? - What MSP activities were targeted to IHE recipients? - What MSP activities were targeted to K-12 recipients? - What challenges did MSP projects face?

Abstract: "What mathematical knowledge do teachers need to successfully work with students, and how do we know when they have it? ...Teachers' performance on pencil-and-paper assessments (or oral interview tasks) may or may not correlate with what they can actually do with real-life content, materials, and students. Yet observational studies, which have historically been used to study the nature of mathematical knowledge used in classrooms, have not to date been designed to provide reliable estimates for large numbers of individual teachers.
Because of a growing need among researchers to study changes in the mathematical quality of teachers' practice, we argue for an observation-based instrument that can quantify the quality of the mathematics in instruction. ...
This technical report is intended mainly for potential users of the instrument, to introduce this audience to our theoretical foundation, codes, and procedures. We begin with a review of past and contemporary uses of observation to understand teachers' knowledge, including a description of our needs in this arena. We discuss our specific codes and coding protocol, the development of our instrument, and suggest some directions for analysis. We review our early findings, then consider issues related to the adoption and use of this instrument in different locations."
The Coding Instrument is available online: http://mspnet.org/library/14195.html

Abstract: Defining challenging curriculum first requires an examination of what is meant by curriculum. This discussion of challenging curriculum is motivated by the evaluation of the National Science Foundation's Math and Science Partnership Program. Standards frameworks, textbooks, software and pedagogy are some aspects of curricula. The level of challenge of a curriculum is a locally-defined, qualitative characteristic that depends on the curriculum system. The structure of a curriculum system is proposed to investigate the purposes, representations, and conceptual systems inherent in models of curriculum that are part of mathematics teaching and learning initiatives. Three types of models are proposed: content- focused, pedagogically-focused, and learner-centered. The models draw on examples from the Math and Science Partnership portfolio and from other areas of the literature on mathematics curriculum.

Abstract: The Milwaukee Mathematics Partnership has been on a journey over several years in moving a large urban district toward implementation of formative assessment in mathematics. This article describes lessons learned and how those lessons lead to a more intentional approach in linking mathematics classroom practice to principles of formative assessment. The Partnership identified ten principles of formative assessment and have been using them as a basis for professional learning and conversations to implement school-wide practices that use assessment for learning.

Abstract: The Milwaukee Mathematics Partnership (MMP), a comprehensive MSP project, resulted in significant improvement in mathematics achievement for students in the Milwaukee Public Schools, with a substantial achievement gap reduction between the school district and the state. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee Public Schools, and Milwaukee Area Technical College shared in the leadership for this student success as core partners to this unique collaboration among a large urban district, a four-year urban university, and a two-year technical college. The MMP final report (NSF Grant No. 0314898) includes a summary of project goals, activities, and findings. Also included are appendices on the MMP Continuum of Professional Work for Mathematics and an overview of the MMP Toolkit.

Abstract: "In this study teachers in a large urban school district in southern California used standards-based curriculum guides, quarterly benchmark assessments, and focused professional development to improve the achievement of their students in math content as measured by the California Standards Test in mathematics and reported as part of each school's Annual Yearly Progress. The average growth of the students in mathematics far out-paced their growth in English Language Arts as well as the average growth for students in the county and the state in mathematics. The findings support a three-pronged approach that consists of curriculum guides that organize and pace the content standards and include model tasks for student outcomes supported by standards-based quarterly benchmark assessments which give the teachers timely feedback about student conceptual understanding of the standards. Even greater growth is seen from students whose teachers attend research-based professional development."

Abstract: "This study is part of a larger multi-year comprehensive (K-12) mathematics and science curriculum reform initiative focusing on the connection between implemented and attained high school mathematics curriculum. Students' opportunities to learn mathematics content in two geographically diverse school districts were studied to determine if these are linked with student performance in mathematics. All high school students and their mathematics teachers in both districts provided data for this study. Preliminary findings support the contention that curriculum differentiation exists at the high school level. The data suggest that different content trajectories offer very different opportunities to learn within and between school districts and these content trajectories are linked to levels of student performance in mathematics. The findings have implications for student learning outcomes and curriculum policy."

Abstract: In this article we describe how an underperforming school district used research and theory on curriculum, assessment, implementation, and school and classroom organization to develop and implement district standards and improve the achievement of elementary school students. Key reforms included teachers developing essential curriculum standards, standards-based criterion-referenced tests, and standards-based extended learning opportunities. Teachers rated the reform efforts positively and reported a high likelihood of implementation. Using California Department of Education data, we employed econometric analyses to estimate program effects for the district's elementary schools from 1999 to 2002. A difference-of-differences model estimated 10 of 16 positive and significant effects on grades 2 to 5 SAT9 scaled score mathematics achievement, ranging from .2σ to .7σ. The same model applied to reading scores showed 12 of 16 insignificant or negative grade-level effects. As predicted, however, second and third graders in 2002--those students who had 3 and 4 years of exposure to the program exclusively--experienced only positive (4 of 4) and mostly significant (3 of 4) reading and mathematics effects. Results may guide district administrators implementing standards or comprehensive school reforms.

Abstract: "Engineering faculty at the University of Alabama at Birmingham are participating in a middle school mathematics partnership, involving nine school districts (administrators, teachers, parents) and higher education faculty at two universities, and the Mathematics Education Collaborative (MEC). The partnership promotes inquiry-based learning curricula modeled after the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. The engineering faculty contribution to the partnership lies in the connection of mathematics to real world applications and to users of mathematics within the framework of an inquiry-based middle school mathematics classroom. The engineering faculty have surveyed many existing science and engineering based problems and activities, both to determine what is available and how our local teachers might use them. A number of resources exist that provide real world examples applicable to middle school mathematics. In some cases these activities are presented in a format that is difficult for teachers to adapt to an inquiry-based pedagogy in a mathematics classroom. Resources are also available that provide applicationoriented problems in the form of word problems. These resources provide students with a connection to real world applications in their everyday lives and are supportive of inquiry-based practices. However, our local teachers wanted students to become more engaged in the problems by discovering how the mathematics is used to help solve critical problems in applications of interest. Engineering research and development relies on mathematics and covers many areas of interest for middle school students. Although many wonderful resources are available that provide educators with a connection between engineering, science, mathematics, and real world applications, there is a need for development in support of inquiry-based engineering application tasks for the middle school mathematics classroom. In this paper, available resources for engineering applications in middle school classrooms, inquiry-based pedagogy, and the need for engineering applications supporting inquiry-based mathematics education are presented. Development of the first new application task in this effort and feedback from middle school mathematics teachers are also briefly discussed."

Abstract: "Over the past five years I have sought to better understand student thinking and learning in the context of topics central to trigonometry, including angle measure, the unit circle, trigonometric functions, periodicity, and the polar coordinate system. While each study has provided unique insights into students' learning of trigonometry, a common theme connects the studies' findings: quantitative reasoning plays a central role in students' trigonometric understandings. In this chapter, I first describe a coherent system of understandings for trigonometry that is grounded in quantitative reasoning. Against this backdrop, I compare students' quantitative reasoning in the context of trigonometry in order to illustrate the role of quantitative reasoning in the learning of a particular mathematical topic."

Abstract: "The maker movements, a general term for the rise of inventing, designing, and tinkering, and the addition of engineering standards to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) have spawned a major evolution in technology classes throughout the country. At Georgia Institute of Technology, a new curriculum attempts to bring the maker movement to high school audiences through both curricular and extra-curricular channels. The curriculum is structured around engineering standards and learning goals that reflect design and advanced manufacturing content, along with employability skills, while borrowing best practices from 'wood shop' and 'technology education' classes. The hope is that this course will bolster many of the 'Attributes of Engineers in 2020' described by the National Academy of Engineering and 21st Century Skills--these skills and attributes can be beneficial to any college or career path, not just one in engineering. The course incorporates design-build activities into entrepreneurial and business contexts, providing relevance to foundational math skills and science practices while integrating problem solving and cutting-edge technology. The course requires that students draw and render design concepts, communicate design concepts to their peers and clients, fabricate design artifacts, and document their requirements and decisions while engaging in the engineering design process. The purpose of this paper is to explore the results from the first and second year implementation of a maker-infused Advanced Manufacturing (AM) course for high school students in a low income, rural-fringe school system. Results from a portfolio assessment and 21st Century Skills surveys will be discussed in terms of course effectiveness and challenges to implementation. Similarities and differences between learning goals for this new AM course and the more traditional wood shop and technology education classes will be highlighted. Implications for engineering education, theory, and practice are discussed."

Abstract: "As you know, the NRC is conducting a workshop for MSPs on April 17-19 to continue the conversation on Challenging Courses and Curricula. A number of people expressed their concern that the document we posted on MSPnet based on the projects' descriptions of CCC at the MSP Learning Network conference did not include pedagogy. We've gone back to the descriptions to pull those ideas together, and thought it would be helpful to share them prior to the workshop to allow the broader community to comment."

MSPnet members are invited to post their comments in the MSPnet Forum working group discussion on Moving Toward a Common Definition of Challenging Courses and Curricula.

Abstract: "For three consecutive evenings in January 2004, researchers Eric Osthoff and Steven Cantrell met with secondary mathematics teachers and coaches to discuss the impact of several key elements of the District Mathematics Plan. The 22 participants were a diverse, though nonrepresentative, collection of Algebra I teachers and secondary mathematics coaches. The primary aim of the meetings was to better understand the impact of several key elements of the district mathematics plan, including textbooks, the instructional guide, the periodic mathematics assessments, and mathematics coaches. A second aim was to test ideas for improving the quality of assistance currently provided by the district mathematics instructional support staff. ...The following report describes the sessions and provides a much more faithful rendition of teacher responses to our prompts."

Abstract: "Primary school students participating in the HOS program (N=72) and their parents (N=43) were asked to complete questionnaires prior to and at the end of the program indicating attitudes about science. Parents responded about their child who participated in the program. Ten of 11 questions (5 of 6 for students, 5 or 5 for parents) showed shifts in a positive direction, and 5 of these shifts, all in the positive direction, were significant at the .10 level by one-tailed test. In addition to the results for specific items, these results reveal a statistically significant pattern of positive findings in the overall trends. These findings demonstrate that hands-on-science programs can have positive effects on young students' attitudes toward science."

Abstract: "This study describes the process of defining a hypothetical learning progression for astronomy around the big idea of Solar System formation. At the most sophisticated level of the learning progression, students can explain how the formation process leads to the current Solar System by considering how the planets formed from the collapse of a rotating cloud of gas and dust. In this first step towards understanding student progress in this domain, we interviewed middle school, high school, and college students (N=44), asking them to describe properties of the current Solar System and to explain how the Solar System was formed. Our analysis reveals potential levels of sophistication within the hypothetical learning progression while also revealing common alternative conceptions or areas of limited understanding that could form barriers to progress; many students' understanding of Solar System phenomena was limited by either alternative ideas about gravity or limited application of momentum in their explanations. Few students approached a scientific-level explanation, but their responses revealed possible stepping-stones that could be built upon with appropriate instruction. Our findings also point to critical deficiencies in how state and national standards address Solar System astronomy."

Abstract: The report is the culmination of 18 months of research and discussion on the important factors affecting K-12 student learning in mathematics. The 10 member task force responsible for the report was appointed by former Superintendent Art Rainwater and was composed of community, district, and university representatives. The task force was co-chaired by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Professor of Mathematics Jim Lewis (who has been a leading figure nationally in mathematics education) and former Deputy Superintendent for Instruction at Los Angeles Unified School District Merle Price (who now has appointments at UCLA and CSU Northridge). The report (with findings and recommendations) was delivered by the co-chairs to the MMSD Board of Education at their September 8, 2008 meeting.

Abstract: This report is the first in a series of PROM/SE Research Reports highlighting key findings from the PROM/SE data collected from over 60 participating districts and 200,000 students in Michigan and Ohio. The series, targeted to superintendents, highlights gaps in student achievement and suggest solutions for improved teaching and learning. The first issue, Making the Grade: Fractions in Your Schools, uses PROM/SE student achievement data in seven subtest areas to highlight learning in grades 3-12. Key findings emerging from the data show that large numbers of students are not learning foundational fractions such as equivalent fractions and common denominators, making later success in more advanced mathematics difficult. Further analysis found in the report suggests that third grade is a crucial time for teaching and learning foundational concepts.

Abstract: Promoting Rigorous Outcomes in Mathematics and Science Education (PROM/SE) has published volume 6 of The PROM/SE Research Report titled "Opportunities to Learn in PROM/SE Classrooms: Teachers' Reported Coverage of Mathematics Content." This report examines the pattern of reported mathematics content coverage in elementary grades classrooms in the PROM/SE districts. In these PROM/SE districts about 2625 teachers (about 525 teachers at each of the five grade levels) reported on their mathematics content coverage. Our results indicate that there is great variation across classrooms in the mathematics content coverage, suggesting the presence of enormous inequalities in opportunities to learn mathematics content. This surprising variability extends not only between districts but also across the hallway within the same school. This issue and past issues of the PROM/SE Research Report are available for downloading from www.promse.msu.edu in the "research and results" section.

Abstract: Promoting Rigorous Outcomes in Mathematics and Science Education (PROM/SE) has published volume 5 of The PROM/SE Research Report titled "Variation Across Districts in Intended Topic Coverage: Mathematics." This report explores the extent to which implementing curriculum at the local level has created mathematics curriculum standards (grade level learning expectations) with vastly different learning expectations that in turn undermines any 'intent' to provide to all students an equal opportunity to learn mathematics. Given the cumulative nature of knowledge, especially in mathematics, differences in learning opportunities lost at a specific grade may not be gained at a later time. These disparities are not just experienced by children who live in poverty. This affects children who live in wealthy suburbs that surround urban areas as well. Data from across districts nationally are examined. This issue and past issues of the PROM/SE Research Report are available for downloading from www.promse.msu.edu in the "research and results" section.

Abstract: Promoting Rigorous Outcomes in Mathematics and Science Education (PROM/SE) has published volume 7 of The PROM/SE Research Report titled "Content Coverage and the Role of Instructional Leadership."
This study examines the variation in reported science content coverage among 53 PROM/SE districts in Michigan and Ohio. Variation is also described among schools within participating districts and among classrooms within the same school. Data point to extensive variation in the amount of time allocated to science instruction at district, school, and classroom levels across elementary and middle grades. In a subset of 5 adjacent school districts, striking variation is noted in the coverage of topics addressed when compared to the science curriculum of high achieving TIMSS countries. Similarly notable variability is found in the number of instructional days devoted to science topics in schools within the same district and in classrooms within the same school. Findings reflect the importance of instructional leadership at all levels of the educational system to ensure that district intentions and school-level implementation are aligned in promoting coherent and consistent enactment of rigorous standards. The need for strong instructional leadership by district superintendents as well as building principals is discussed in detail.
This issue and past issues of The PROM/SE Research Report are available for downloading from www.promse.msu.edu in the "research and results" section

Abstract: The University of Cincinnati's College of Engineering & Applied Science in collaboration with local high schools developed an Introduction to Engineering course for high school students using the engineering design process to guide the course development and implementation. The steps in the course design process are described in terms of the engineering design model as are selection of specific course elements. The iterative nature of the process is illustrated and the improvements made after an implementation cycle are described. The course effectiveness is also discussed in terms of meeting the identified goal.

Abstract: The University of Cincinnati collaborated with four Cincinnati-area high schools (Mt Notre Dame High School, Princeton High School, Mother of Mercy High School, and Harrison High School) to develop and offer a program that introduced students at those schools to the practice of Engineering and Engineering Technology. The College of Applied Science and the College of Engineering worked together to provide content that would provide high school students a balanced view of the careers and opportunities available in Engineering and Engineering Technology. The goal for the course was that greater numbers of students would understand the practice of engineering and engineering technology and would choose to pursue these in their college studies. This paper describes the collaborative process used to design and implement the course.

Abstract: The Next Generation Science Standards now integrate science and engineering through their Core Ideas and Practices dimensions. Portions of the engineering design process included in these standards emphasize: 1) defining problems through identifying criteria and constraints, 2) developing solutions to those problems, and 3) optimizing those solutions to best fit the criteria and constraints. The Science Learning Integrating Design, Engineering, and Robotics (SLIDER) project, funded through the NSF DRK-12 program for five years, set out to investigate this integration through the use of robotics and design to develop conceptual understanding among 8th grade physical science students. Through three years of curriculum development and iteration, the SLIDER curriculum faced several challenges in making this integrated approach both effective and practical in a diverse array of schools. This paper presents that story and makes suggestions critical to others designing for the NGSS and developing theory around integrated STEM learning.

Abstract: "We report on the development of an item test bank and associated instruments based on those K-12 national standards which involve astronomy and space science. Utilizing hundreds of studies in the science education research literature on student misconceptions, we have constructed 211 unique items that measure the degree to which students abandon such ideas for accepted scientific views. Piloted nationally with 7599 students and their 88 teachers spanning grades 5-12, the items reveal a range of interesting results, particularly student difficulties in mastering the NRC Standards and AAAS Benchmarks. Teachers generally perform well on items covering the standards of the grade level at which they teach, exhibiting few misconceptions of their own. Teachers dramatically overestimate their students' performance, perhaps because they are unaware of their students' misconceptions. Examples are given showing how the developed instruments can be used to assess the effectiveness of instruction and to evaluate the impact of professional development activities for teachers."

Abstract: "Project PRIME is a cohort 1 targeted MSP focusing on K-12 mathematics within the Rapid City school district. Through the first four years of this initiative, project leaders have made extensive use of data to highlight successes, to emphasize areas in need of additional attention, and to guide the overall direction. This paper highlights a sampling of emerging findings and includes discussion of venues and processes for sharing such findings. Among key data sources are 1) student performance on the state's multiple-choice test, 2) student performance on alternative assessments developed by the Mathematics Assessment Resource Service, 3) student attitudes, and 4) district enrollments. Special attention is paid to gaps and patterns associated with Native American versus non-Native American students, as that represents a primary focus within the project."

Abstract: "Project PRIME, a targeted Math and Science Partnership focusing on K-12 mathematics within the Rapid City, SD school district, has made extensive use of data to provide key stakeholders with a sense of progress to date and to emphasize areas in need of additional attention. This paper highlights the most compelling findings thus far and includes discussion of the venues and processes used for sharing these data. Preliminary findings have been generated through analysis of 1) student performance on the state's multiplechoice test, 2) student performance on a free-response test developed by the Mathematics Assessment Resource Service, 3) classroom observation ratings, 4) student course-taking patterns, and 5) drop-out rates. Special attention has been paid to gaps and patterns associated with Native American versus non-Native American students. Reduction of race-related disparities represents a primary emphasis for the project. Responses of key stakeholders to the data and lessons-learned about using data to motivate and support reform are also addressed."

Abstract: "In recent years, US curriculum policy has emphasized standards-based conceptions of curricula in mathematics and science. This paper explores the data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) to argue that the presence of content standards is not sufficient to guarantee curricula that lead to high-quality instruction and achievement. An examination of the content topics covered in each grade of a group of six of the highest-achieving TIMSS countries in mathematics and science shows a pattern in which new topics are gradually introduced, are a part of instruction for a few grades, and then often leave the curriculum as separate topics. This contrasts sharply with mapping of topics in the various US national standards in mathematics and science. Topics enter and linger, so that each grade typically devotes instructional attention to many more topics than is typical of the six high-achieving countries; in addition, each topic stays in the curriculum for more grades than in the high-achieving countries. An examination of mathematics and science content standards from 21 states and 50 districts in the US shows a pattern more like that of the US national standards than those of the high-achieving TIMSS countries. While content standards have become integral to US curriculum development and reform, they have yet to reflect the coherence that is typical of countries that achieved significantly better than the US in the TIMSS study."

Abstract: "The major focus of this study is on ways in which MSPs have engaged STEM higher education faculty in focusing on the quality of STEM undergraduate education, strengthening their teaching practices, and expanding the scope of their work to encompass a K-16 perspective, including the improvement of K-12 STEM education and the preparation of future teachers. "

Abstract: With computers gaining more powerful processors, computational modeling can be
introduced gradually to secondary students allowing them to visualize complex topics and gather data in the different scientific fields. In this study, students from four rural high schools used computational tools to investigate attributes of the ingredients that might cause fluorescence in energy drinks. In the activity, students used the computational tools of WebMO to model several ingredients in energy drinks and gather data on them, such as molecular geometry and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra (UV-Vis spectra). Using the data they collected, students analyzed and compared their ingredient molecules and then compared them to molecules that are known to fluoresce to determine any patterns. After students participated in this activity, data from testing suggest they were more aware of fluorescence, but not more aware of how to read an UV-Vis spectrum.

Abstract: One issue that will influence how teachers adopt NGSS-aligned standards is teachers'
preexisting beliefs and attitudes about what constitute effective methods for science teaching and learning (Banilower, Trygstad, and Smith, 2015; Trygstad, Smith, Banilower, and Nelson, 2013). The Framework and NGSS describe a vision for science education in which students will primarily learn science concepts by engaging in SEPs. Students are to generate and interpret evidence and develop explanations through sustained investigations, all while increasing their
capacity to direct all aspects of the process over time (National Research Council, 2012). This contrasts with the current state of science education in many classrooms, in which students primarily learn concepts through direct instruction with occasional reinforcement through engagement in SEPs (Banilower et al., 2015). According to results from the 2012 National Survey of Mathematics and Science Education (Banilower et al., 2013), around 60% of teachers believe that hands-on experimentation should reinforce concepts students have already learned, 40-50% of teachers believe that they should explain a concept to students before the students consider evidence related to the concept, and 90% of teachers believe that
vocabulary should come before conceptual understanding. Interventions to support teachers in adopting NGSS-aligned standards will need to take into account that many educators' beliefs may not align with the notion of consistently teaching science content through SEPs, as envisioned by authors of the Framework and NGSS.

Abstract: This document contains four brief reports that illuminate key strategies employed in the Appalachian Math Science Partnership (AMSP). They are intended to be read along with the main report, The Appalachian Math Science Partnership: A Multi-State Umbrella Partnership Promoting Local Mathematics And Science Reform. The reports included in this document are: I. The Regional Program Coordinators: Making Connections and Developing Local Leadership II. Baseline Improvement Sites and the Program Improvement Review: Promoting School-wide Involvement in Math and Science Reform III. The Partnership Enhancement Program: A Strategy for Supporting Locally Designed Partnerships IV. Motivating Change in Institutions of Higher Education Through Collaboration with K-12 Partners

Abstract: The Appalachian Math Science Partnership (AMSP) is a project within NSF's Math Science Partnerships (MSP) initiative. Funded at $23 million over five years, the AMSP involved 51 school districts and nine higher education institutions in Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. The AMSP faced two significant challenges in its effort to live up to the vision of the MSP initiative and to its own hopes and goals. First, its service area, Appalachia, comprises some of the most isolated and stressed communities and school systems in the United States. Second, the mere scale of the partnership--60 organizations in several states--defied easy implementation. Yet despite these challenges (indeed, working to address them directly), the AMSP built upon existing leadership capacity in the region and created not only effective partnerships, but ultimately formed what we view as the foundation for a sustainable regional "improvement infrastructure" for science and mathematics. In this set of five papers, we portray the evolution, design and strategies of the AMSP. We believe that the design principles the AMSP adhered to, the responsiveness of AMSP leaders to local needs and issues, and the strategies they devised to make good on their promise have relevance for others who invest in the improvement of science and math education, particularly in rural regions. This paper, entitled "The Appalachian Math Science Partnership: A Multi-State Umbrella Partnership Promoting Local Mathematics And Science Reform," is the core document of the set of five and stands alone. It provides background on the initiative and on the regional landscape, gives an account of how the AMSP's overall design as an "umbrella partnership" formed, describes the major strategies and components of the partnership (including the benefits they produced and lessons learned from their implementation), documents the core values and design principles underlying the umbrella partnership, and offers our conceptualization of the AMSP as a regional improvement infrastructure. The four papers identified as AMSP Close-ups (a single document) are companions to this core document. They illuminate in more detail key strategies of the larger partnership.

Abstract: "This paper will discuss the study design, observation protocol, efforts to increase inter-rater reliability, challenges to data collection, and findings from baseline data collection efforts. The paper will also summarize the types of analyses that will be performed with the data and will present other research questions that can be addressed through these analyses."

Abstract: "A process for judging the alignment between curriculum standards and assessments developed by the author is presented. This process produces information on the rela- tionship of standards and assessments on four alignment criteria: Categorical Con- currence, Depth of Knowledge Consistency, Range of Knowledge Correspondence, and Balance of Representation. Five issues are identified-but not resolved-that have arisen from conducting alignment studies. All of these issues relate to making a decision about what alignment is good enough. Pragmatic decisions have been made to specify acceptable levels for each of the alignment criteria. The assumptions are described. The issues discussed arise from a change in the underlying assumptions and from considering variations in the purpose for an assessment. The existence of such issues reinforces that alignment judgments have an element of subjectivity."

Abstract: This book came out of the work of the MSP RETA project Envisioning Quality Science Assessments.

"In response to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), Systems for State Science Assessment explores the ideas and tools that are needed to assess science learning at the state level. This book provides a detailed examination of K-12 science assessment: looking specifically at what should be measured and how to measure it.

Along with reading and mathematics, the testing of science is a key component of NCLB it is part of the national effort to establish challenging academic content standards and develop the tools to measure student progress toward higher achievement. The book will be a critical resource for states that are designing and implementing science assessments to meet the 2007-2008 requirements of NCLB.

In addition to offering important information for states, Systems for State Science Assessment provides policy makers, local schools, teachers, scientists, and parents with a broad view of the role of testing and assessment in science education."

Abstract:

This paper describes elements of undergraduate computational science education. This is the 'bible' in the emerging field of computational science and engineering. --Osman Yassar

"The multidisciplinary nature of computational science and engineering (CSE) and its relation to other disciplines is described. The stages through which CSE education is evolving, from initial recognition in the 1980s to present growth, are discussed. The challenges and benefits of different approaches to CSE education are discussed, as is the emergence of a set of core elements common to different approaches. The content of courses, curricula, and degrees ordered in CSE are reviewed, and a survey is made of all undergraduate degree programs. The curricula of different programs are examined for the common "tool set" they define and analyzed for their relative weighting of computing, application, and mathematics. A trend toward a standard curriculum is noted."

Abstract: This article introduces a new perspective on computational thinking, including its definition, cognitive essence, and curricular issues

Abstract: A booklet summarizing a technology approach to integrate math and science education. This booklet is the 2003-2008 Progress Report for the SUNY-Brockport College and Rochester City (SCOLLARCITY) Math and Science Partnership.

Abstract: This paper offers a new way to prove Kepler's
laws using mathematical, computational, and
visualization tools. It reflects the experience of 9th grade students in a math and science competition. The project and its paper received First Place and Best Paper awards.

Abstract: This work illustrates how accuracy can be controlled in computer and mathematical modeling. It uses Interactive Physics software and Microsoft Excel. Teachers or students can repeat the work in the classroom. The work shows how technology can be used to accomplish partnership of math and science teaching and learning.

Abstract: "Teachers, literacy coaches, and media specialists who were taking classes through a math and science partnership and who also teach literacy were interviewed to discover how they use math and science to teach literacy and how they use literacy strategies to teach math and science content. The study concluded that these teachers are using literacy strategies across content areas and are engaging students in reading and writing using math and science texts."