Examining Teacher and Student Outcomes in the Math in the Middle Institute Partnership
Math in the Middle (M2) is designed with a long-term goal to improve K-12 student mathematics achievement by creating sustainable partnerships among individuals at each of the following entities: the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, regional ESUs, and local school districts. These partnerships are designed to educate and support teams of outstanding middle-level mathematics teachers (Grades 5-8) who become intellectual leaders in their schools, districts, and ESUs. M2 is particularly committed to improving the capacity of rural teachers, schools, and districts. M2 works with cohorts of 30 to 35 lead teachers each year. Project activities began in fall 2004 and continue through summer 2009. M2 consists of three major components: 1) The M2 Institute which is designed to enhance teachers' mathematical content knowledge, teaching, and leadership skills, through a combination of intensive summer institutes and academic school year courses; 2) Mathematics Learning Teams led by M2 lead teachers and designed to help teachers develop collegiality, align their teaching with NCTM and state standards, and examine their instructional and assessment practices; and 3) A Research Initiative, designed to enhance knowledge about how M2 components affect educational improvement and innovation.
M2 participants take eight courses, which include three five-credit and seven three-credit courses. Successful completion of this course sequence and a master's exam will earn a master's degree in either Education or Mathematics. M2 uses a combination of summer institutes and school year courses to allow participants to complete their master's degree in 2 years. The M2 Summer Institute combines one-week and two-week courses, utilizing multiple instructors, including college faculty and graduate students, to provide support to participants. For school year courses, participants begin and end each semester course with face-to-face classes, then interact with other students and faculty through Blackboard, an online learning environment. M2 is grounded in the notion of parallel leadership (Crowther et al., 2002) and frames its efforts to develop teachers whose leadership "is centered on their own professional practice (but extends to schoolwide teaching, learning and assessment practices) as well as on community dynamics. Thus teacher leaders... demonstrate how knowledge is created and what new knowledge looks like" (p.20). Parallel leadership is distributive leadership, where teachers and administrators engage as equals in learning initiatives that enhance the performance of all students. M2 is devoted to developing deep mathematics content knowledge and leadership skills such that, "The construction of new knowledge inspires confidence and lays the foundations for heightened aspirations and enhanced levels of student achievement" (Crowther et al., 2002, p.9). Through teachers' increased understanding of mathematics, teachers acquire mathematical "conviction, courage, reasonableness, and professional knowledge" (Crowther et al., 2002, p.10), central characteristics of teachers who are leaders.
RMC Research is conducting an external evaluation of M2 with qualitative and quantitative components that examine progress toward goals, impact on participants, and provide feedback for project improvement. In addition to the external evaluation, a research team at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, consisting of Walter Stroup and colleagues, is conducting research that focuses on the impact of M2 on student achievement. Initial student achievement data analyses are focused on data from one large school district and planned analyses include additional data from students in smaller rural districts.
The presentation will focus on data that examines teacher and student outcomes. In addition to presenting preliminary results and associated methodologies, the session will be used as an opportunity to discuss findings and ways to improve the quality and utility of data collected to examine impact associated with mathematics-science partnerships.