Representations of Mathematics Teacher Quality in a National Program

Patricia S. Moyer-Packenham, Johnna J. Bolyard, Hana Oh, Patricia Kridler, & Gwenanne Salkind

George Mason UniversityNovember 10th, 2006

28th Annual Meeting of PME-NAMérida, Yucatán, Mexico

Goals of the Presentation

NSF Authorization Act of 2002 (PL107-368) includes enhancing teacher quality, quantity, and diversity as key goals of the Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program.

• Identify representations of mathematics teacher quality in a nationally funded program

• Discuss conditions implemented to influence mathematics teacher quality in the program

Review of Research on Teacher Quality Characteristics

(1) General Ability, including verbal ability (Ehrenberg & Brewer, 1994, 1995; Ferguson, 1991; Ferguson & Ladd, 1996)

(2) Experience (Fetler, 1999; Ferguson, 1991; Ferguson & Ladd, 1996; Goldhaber & Brewer, 1997b; Hawkins, Stancavage, & Dossy, 1998; Rivkin, Hanushek, & Kain, 2005; Rowan, Correnti, & Miller, 2002)

(3) Pedagogical Knowledge (Adams & Krockover, 1997; Darling-Hammond, 2000; Darling-Hammond, Berry & Thoreson, 2001; Gess-Newsome & Lederman, 1993; Hawkins, Stancavage, & Dossey, 1998; Valli & Agostinelli, 1993 )

Review of Research (cont.)

(4) Subject Matter Knowledge (Chaney, 1995; Goldhaber & Brewer, 1997a, 1997b, 2000; Hawkins, Stancavage, & Dossey, 1983; Monk, 1994; Monk & King, 1994; Rowan, Chiang, & Miller, 1997; Rowan, Correnti, & Miller, 2002)

(5) Certification Status (Darling-Hammond, 2000; Fetler, 1999; Goldhaber & Brewer, 1997a, 1997b, 2000; Hawk, Coble, & Swanson, 1985; Rowan, Correnti, & Miller, 2002)

(6) Teacher Behaviors, Practices and Beliefs (Guarino, Hamilton, Lockwood, & Rathbun, 2006; Staub & Stern, 2002; Weiss & Pasley, 2004; Weiss, Pasley, Smith, Banilower, & Heck, 2003).

Research Questions

• What characteristics do MSPs use to define mathematics teacher quality?

• What conditions do MSPs implement in their work to improve mathematics teacher quality?

Data Sources

• 123 Annual and Evaluation reports from 48 Math and Science Partnerships

• 48 project websites

• Presentation and publication documents available publicly

Methods

• Document Analysis (Best & Kahn, 1998; Patton, 1990); Official/External Documents produced by the MSPs (Bogdan & Biklen, 1998); Interpretation of data contained in the documents (McMillan & Wergin, 2002).

• Content Analysis – Analysis of the written content of a document; inductively establish a categorical system for organizing the information (Fraenkel & Wallen, 1993).

• Concept Analysis – Conducted to understand the meaning and usage of educational concepts (e.g., teacher quality) (McMillan & Wergin, 2002).

Results

• Representations of mathematics teacher quality

• Conditions influencing teacher quality characteristics

Major Themes of Teacher Quality (reported by 48 MSPs)

REPRESENTATIONSof Teacher Quality

Individual Characteristics Population Characteristics

Subject Knowledge QuantityPedagogical Knowledge DiversityBehaviors/Practices/Beliefs

CONDITIONSInfluencing Teacher Quality Characteristics

Professional Development Stipends/CompensationTeacher Leadership RetentionRecruiting Linking Teachers with STEM FacultyPreservice Training InductionCertification/Degrees

Representations of Individual TQ Characteristics

Subject Teachers’ test scoresKnowledge Improved student achievement

Teachers’ subject preparation

Pedagogical Responses on surveysKnowledge Observations of teaching

Improved student achievement

Practices & Responses on surveysBeliefs Observations of teaching

Responses to interview questions

Conditions Influencing Individual TQ Characteristics

Conditions Illustrative Examples

Professional Development Courses, workshops, institutes

Teacher Leadership Formal and informal roles

Preservice Training New course and program development

Certification/Degrees Program revision and development

Linking STEM Faculty With Teachers Teach courses; Provide expertise

Key Findings and Implications

•Significant emphasis on subject knowledge for teachers at all grade levels K-12.

•Design of professional development is based on research findings.

•Emphasis on subject knowledge is aligned with policy and professional organization statements.•Teacher quality is described as the intersection of content and pedagogy.•MSPs knowledgeable of current research and best practices.

Key Findings and Implications (cont.)

•New collaborations between STEM Faculty and education faculty to improve K-12 mathematics education.•The important role of Teacher Leaders in knowledge development, connecting people, and institutional change.

•Interrelated challenges facing STEM and education faculty.

•MSPs in a position to contribute to research on teacher leadership.

Further Inquiry

• What other inquiries about the work of the Math and Science Partnership Program are of interest to those in the mathematics education community?

• What teacher quality characteristics are not addressed in these findings?

• What conditions might influence teacher quality that are not addressed in these findings?