NSFAwardNo.DUE-1700625
ContextualizetoLearn:PreparingFacultyTowardMath
ContextualizationforStudentSuccessinAdvancedTechnologicalEducation
Cross-InstitutionalMeetingNovember17,2017
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Agenda10:00-10:15am Arrivalandwelcome
10:15-11:00am Researchhighlights– UW-Madison
11:00-11:45pm Presentationandreporting– MilwaukeeAreaTechnicalCollege
11:45am-12:30pm Lunchandbrainstormingsession
12:30-1:10pm Sharedresources:Onlineplatformstosupportcommunitiesofpractice
1:10-1:50pm Presentationandreporting– Madison College1:50-2:30pm Discussion2:30-3:00pm Wrap-up andplansforWinter/Spring2018
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ResearchHighlights—Whatdowealreadyknowfrompriorworkonmath
contextualization?
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Background:Whyarewehere?• Mathcompetencyasoneofthestrongestpredictorsofeducationalandcareer
successamongcommunitycollegestudentsinSTEM(e.g.,Calcagno,Crosta,Bailey,&Jenkins,2007;Hagedorn &DuBray,2010;Tyson,2014).
• Mathremainingamajorareaofstruggle– 60%ofbeginningcommunitycollegestudentsunderpreparedforcollege-levelmath(Bailey,Jeong,&Cho,2010).
– Mathcoursecompletionratesaround30%forremedialmath(Bailey,2009)and45%forcollege-levelcourses(Bahr,2008).
• Underrepresentedstudents,suchasfemales,racial/ethnicminoritystudents,andlow-incomestudents,reportlowmotivationalbeliefstosucceedinmathandSTEMfields(e.g.,Trent,George-Jackson,Walker,&Baber,2010).
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ContextualizationasaPromisingApproach• Contextualizationdefinedas“adiversefamilyofinstructionalstrategiesdesignedtomoreseamlesslylinkthelearningoffoundationalskillsandacademicoroccupationalcontentbyfocusingteachingandlearningsquarelyonconcreteapplicationsinaspecificcontextthatisofinteresttothestudent”(Mazzeo,2008,p.3).
• CanbeespeciallybeneficialforCCSTEMstudentswheremathismostlyusedasaproblem-solvingtool(CareerLaddersProject,2016;Seidman,2008).
• Muchpracticalworkinplace(e.g.,NSF,Carnegie)- ContextualizingCareerTechnicalEducationinMath:ACommunityCollegeandHighSchoolProject[Clair&Gardner,2012]
- ContextualizingCareerTechnicalEducationinMath[Bradford,2014]- InnovATE project[PalmBeachStateCollege,n.d.]- CarnegieFoundationinitiatedMathPathwaysfocusingonmathcontextualizationthroughStatway(college-levelstatistics)andQuantway(quantitativereasoning)
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FindingsfromresearchonmathcontextualizationWang,Sun,&Wickersham(2017),publishedinReviewofHigherEducation
--Classroomobservations:“Interaction”askeytocontextualization
Instructor
ContentStudents
Drawconnectionsbetweenmathconceptsandreal-worldapplication
Encouragequestions
Participateinmeaning-makingprocessandengagepriorandotherrelatedknowledge
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FindingsfromresearchonmathcontextualizationWang,Sun,&Wickersham(2017),publishedinReviewofHigherEducation
--Howcontextualizationworkstoimproveperformanceandmotivation
Initialfear
Understanding
Appreciation
Efficacyinmath
Mathlargerthanmath
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FindingsfromresearchonmathcontextualizationWang,Sun,&Wickersham(2017),publishedinReviewofHigherEducation
• Instructorasthechangeagentincontextualization- Instructorbeingaccessibleandapproachableensuredtheauthenticityof
contextualization- Personalizedteachingandlearningopportunities
• Peerlearningandsupport- Alternativesourcesofsupport
- Asenseofcommunity
• Potentialchallengesandtheirsolutions- Communicationandcollaborationamong instructors
- Professionaldevelopmentopportunities
- Formalandcontinuousrelationshipswithemployers
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ResearchHighlights—WhatarewefindingfromtheC2Lresearchto
date?
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AtaGlance:FacultySurveyandInterviewData
• Facultyreportingpositiveexperiencesaroundthecontextualizationprocess.
• Variationinexposuretocontextualizationandprogressionthroughprofessionaldevelopmentactivitieshasfacultyreflectingonandmakingmeaningoftheapproach.
• Interest in integrating it into lessons and/or courses.• Emerging challenges around contextualization.
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Whatiscontextualization?Wrestlingwithmeaning“Wellyoucanwrapastoryaroundamathproblemorincludeamathprobleminastorykindofthingandincontextisthestory,whatIcallthe—youhavetowrapsomewordsaroundit,that’sjustthesimplewayofsayingit.”
“Imeancontextualizationreallyitmeanshavingthecontextdrivethelessonratherthanviceversa,right?It’snotanexampleproblem.It’saproblemthatleadstowhateverthecontentisthatyou’re—ifyoumakethatinversion,theneverythingflowsfromthere.”
“…wherewegivethemthequestion,butthenleadthemtotheanswer…tohelpthemseethemathematicsintheworldaroundthemasopposedtojust,heywejustmadeupthisridiculouswordproblemthatyou’renevergonnaencounterinreallife.”
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Contextualization:Takingittothenextlevel“I’vethoughtalotaboutjustrelatingthingstothe“realworld”orpeople’slivesorajob,butI’dneverthoughtaboutitinthoseterms.AndIthinkonethingthatI—thatmadeitmorerealorusefulformeduringthetrainingistheideaof—Iguesslikebringingthingsintotheclassroomthatstudentscaninteractwithandlettingtheminteractwitheachothertolearn,exploreideas,ratherthanjustmetalkinginfrontofaroomofpeople.”
“…it’snotjustaboutmakingtheproblem,youknow,wordproblemshavesomethingtodowiththeirfield,butit’sreallyaboutengagingpeoplefromthebeginning,notgivingtheanswersfirstandthenexpectingpeopletojustrepeatprocedures.It’sreallyaboutgettingpeopletosolveproblemsandthinkaboutwhatkindsofinformationisneeded,whatdoIdowiththesenumbers,whichnumbersareimportant,whichnumbersarenot.”
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Challengesaroundcontextualization:Whereisthetime?
“It’stime.It’salotoftime…”
“IbelievethatthetimeitwouldtakeforjustonelessonisnottimethatIcurrentlyhold,butitistimethatI’mmakingforanotherclassrightnow,andsoit’sjustamatterofatwhatpointisthattimeavailableformorematerials.“
“Wellthehardestthingaboutcontextualizationis—Imean,wellanythingcantakeaninfiniteamountoftime,butIthinkittakesalongtimetodoitright…andIdon’tknowhowlongthatcontextualizedlessonwas,maybeaweek,butthat’slike100hoursofworkfor3hoursintheclassroom…”
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Challengesaroundcontextualization:Competingcurricularstrategies
“I’vebeenflippingmyclassroomswheretheyhavetowatchavideoanddohomeworkfirstandthenwetalkaboutitinclass…soI’mnotreadytosay,“Okay,I’mreadytomoveon.”Istillneedtoassessthatkindofthing.Yeah,soitprobablyjustnotinmycycleyet.”
“IhavealargeCalculusprojectthatI’vebeenworkingonwithallofmypreptimethissemestersoIdobetterandIamabletoprovidemorestudentswhenIstayfocusedononeparticularprojectatatime,andsothisissomethingthatIhaveputmyhandupandsaid,yesI’dliketolearnmoreaboutthis,butit’snotsomethingthatIhaveyetbeenabletoprovidetimetodoingsomething…”
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Challengesaroundcontextualization:Identifyingcandidatecourses
“Idoseeithappeningmoreatthelowerlevel,inpartbecausetheyaren’tmovinguptheranksinmathematics.…Alotoftimesstudentsfindthemselvesintheselowerlevelmathclassesbecausethetraditionalrouteneverworkedforthem.Ifithad,theywouldn’tbeintheselowerlevelsandsobymakingthingsmoreaccessibleatthoselowerlevels,hopefullywe’dbecreatingsomeoftheneuralpathwaysintheirbraintomakethehigherlevelmoreunderstandabletothem…”
“Asyougohigherlevels[inmath],yeahcontextualizingisnice,butgosh,wehavetocoversomuchyouwouldhavetochangethecurriculum.YouwouldhavetochangelikethePre-Calcclass,ifyouweredoingitcontextualizedIdon’tthinkyouwouldgethalfofthecontenttaughtsothattheycangototheUWandcompetewiththeotherpeoplethataregettingtaughtinatraditionalway.”
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PresentationandReporting:MilwaukeeAreaTechnicalCollege
• Progresstodate:
– InitialworkshopwasofferedonAug.1andAug.2,with27facultyhaving
participated.SurveyresultswereanalyzedbyUW-Madisonandshared
withMATC.
– CulminatingworkshopwasofferedonOct.27,with11facultyhaving
participated.Ashortsurveywasdevelopedbythefacultyleadinaddition
tothesurveyprovidedbyUW-Madison,indicatingsomelevelofinterest
fromtheparticipatingfacultytocontinueinvolvement
https://docs.google.com/a/gmatc.matc.edu/spreadsheets/d/1n3usvx6KN
YCBRAjwxcAvQNRwDcP0_yKaMLtSX5li2II/edit?usp=sharing
– Facultysurveyundergoinganalysisandreporting.
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NextSteps:MilwaukeeAreaTechnicalCollege• FacultyleadwillorganizetheCommunityofPracticebasedontheresultsfrom
theshortsurveyandUW-Madisonsurvey.• Facultyactivitytrackerdevelopedtohelpfacultytracktheiractivitiestoearn
professionaldevelopmentcredit.https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wzqJTMuwRknEjuUPI1Kg76acyRayJzRV8SwQOiGMMJI/edit?usp=sharinghttps://docs.google.com/document/d/15cpKegmNSlRqKr-4h87fgQzgQKwTLCBdgfl6UB__ncU/edit?usp=sharing
• Facultyleadwillcontactfacultywhoparticipatedintheworkshopsaswellasthosewhodidnottocontinueandexpandtheeffortsofdevelopinglessonplansusingthecontextualizationmethod.
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LunchandBrainstormingSession
• Reactionstoearlierfindingsandreports• Howdoinstitutionalstructureshelporhinderprofessionaldevelopment?
• Howdoweempowerfacultytoparticipate?• Whatstrategiesforrecruitmentandcontextualizationhavebeenmostsuccessful?
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OnlinePlatformsforCommunitiesofPractice
• C2Lwebsite(https://c2l.wceruw.org/)
• MadisonCollegeDesiretoLearnplatform
• MilwaukeeAreaTechnicalCollege
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PresentationandReporting:MadisonCollege
PlanningandTraining
CollaborationandCurriculumDevelopment
ImplementationDataAnalysis
BethanySansing-HeltonMathInstructorSchoolofArts&Sciences
TonyCinaMathInstructor
SchoolofAcademic
Advancement
AnnThompsonElectricalEngineeringTechnologyInstructor
SchoolofAppliedScience,Engineering&Technology
ZongHerProjectLeaderInstitutionalResearchAndEffectiveness
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MadisonCollege
PlanningandTraining
CollaborationandCurriculumDevelopment
ImplementationDataAnalysis
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PlanningandTraining• Recruiting
– Goal:10facultyeachfromthreeschools• Arts&SciencesMathDepartment(A&SMath)• AcademicAdvancementMathDepartment(AAMath)
• AppliedScience,Engineering,&Technology(ASET)– Achieved:32faculty
• 18,6,and8fromeachschool,respectively
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Planning
• MetvirtuallywithAnnEdwards(CarnegieMathPathways)andEugeneMilman(BoroughofManhattanCommunityCollege)– Developedagendafortraining– Ensuredmaterialswereinplace– SupportedAnnandEugeneduringtraining
• CreatedBlackboardsitefortheMadisonCollegelearningcommunity
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Blackboard– AnOnlineCollaborationSpace
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TrainingDesign
• Part1(Earlysummer:An initialtwo-dayworkshop)– LedbyAnnEdwards&EugeneMilman– Contextualizationapproach:
• Utilizepre-existingcontextualizedlessonsasabasisforfacultytocreatetheirowncontextualizedlesson.
• Focusonthe‘problemcycle’design– SomecommunitybuildingactivitiesbuiltintohelpcreateaCommunityofPractice.
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TrainingDesign
• Part2(Duringsummer:Follow-upwebinars):– FacilitatedbycoachesandotherMadisonCollegeteammembers
– Facultysharedlessondesignsthroughengagingwiththewebinarfacilitatorsandotherparticipatingfaculty.
• Part3(Endofsummer:Aone-dayimplementationworkshop):– FacilitatedbyBethanySansing-Helton
– FacultyexperiencedcontextualizedlessonsthroughvideodemonstrationandAnnThompsonfacilitatingalesson.
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TrainingbytheNumbersParticipationBreakdownbyMadisonCollegeSchool
56%/1819%/6
25%/8
32FacultyA&SMath
AAMath
ASET
*allfacultyparticipatedinatleastonepartofthe3-parttraining
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0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
A&SMath AAMath ASET
TrainingAttendancebySchool
AttendedOnePart AttendedTwoParts AttendedAll3Parts
TrainingAttendance
43.8%ofALLfaculty(14outof32)completedall3partsofthetraining
38.9%
66.7%
37.5%
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MadisonCollege
PlanningandTraining
CollaborationandCurriculumDevelopment
ImplementationDataAnalysis
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TheTrainingExperience• Fromtheperspectiveofamathfacultymemberteaching
developmentalmath– Bridgeprogrammingcontextualizesmathtosupportstudentsinspecificprograms
• Manufacturing• Construction
– Fantasticopportunitytoworkwithfull- andpart-timefacultybothwithinandacrossschools.
• Personalandprofessionaltiesdevelopedandstrengthened– Firststructuredefforttocollaborateacrossschools
– Excellentdiscussionsoftherolecontextualizationcanplayinlinkingtheworkdoneinallthreeschools
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TrainingReflections• TheProblemCycle
– Useful,manageablestructurefordevelopingcontextualizedmathlessons
– Farmorethansurface-levelcontextualizedwordproblems
– Approachiscenteredaroundusingcontextualizedsituationstoteachconcepts
– Differentfromatraditionalapproachthatfocusesonteachingconceptsandthenusingwordproblemstoreinforcetheconcepts
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TrainingReflections• Practicalexamplesfromthetraining
– Providedconcretemodelstouseindevelopinglessonsthatweretrulycontextualized
• LedtoexplorationofDanMeyer‘3-Act-Math’tasks(presentedinthesummerWebinar#1)– Similarlessonstructureastheproblemcycle– Canprovidebriefcontextualizedintroductionintoaconcept
• Additionalbenefitcamefrominteractingwithfacultyfromotherschools– ThemathneedsofATEstudentsdrovetheconversation
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CurriculumDevelopment• ContextualizationtrainingandimplementationhasledtoafundamentalshiftinemphasisintoallthecoursesIteach.– Mathcontextualizationhasaddedarichnesstomydevelopmentalcourses.
– Developmentalcourses,becauseoftheiremphasisonbasicskills,canquicklybecomemonotonous.
– Contextualizedlessonsareengagingandprovideawaytodrawstudentsintoproblem-solvingexperiencesthatputbasicskillstowork.
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CurriculumWork
• 3-Act-Mathtask
• Gearratioslesson– Developedtoconnect studentstopossiblecareers
– Introduceratiostostudentswhileconnectinggearratiostoautomotivegears
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MadisonCollege
PlanningandTraining
CollaborationandCurriculumDevelopment
ImplementationDataAnalysis
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Implementation• AnnThompson’sexperiencecontextualizingElectronicsMath1– Thiscourseisthefirstofatwo-partappliedelectronicsmathematicssequence.Thiscoursefocusesonmathematicconceptsmostneededbytechniciansandiscloselytiedtotheotherfirst-semesterelectronicscourses.
– 8weeks
– 3hoursthe1st day,2hoursthe2nd dayeachweek
– 22students
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HearfromAnn
GotothevideolinktohearaboutAnn’sexperiencecontextualizinghercourse.
https://youtu.be/33a9SCpQvto
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MadisonCollege
PlanningandTraining
CollaborationandCurriculumDevelopment
ImplementationDataAnalysis
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Ann’sContextualizedCourse
• AppliedElectronicMath1• 8-weekcourse• Fullycontextualized2017-18academicyear• StudentsgoingintoMath2– notcontextualized(nextsemester)
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DatafromAnn’sclass
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InterestingData
02468101214161820
A AB B BC C F Withdrawal
AppliedElectronicMath1- GradingCurve
2016 2017 2018
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ThePathForward
• 32facultyparticipatedinatleastonepartofthe3-parttraining(18A&S,6AA,and8ASET)
• 1ASETfaculty(AnnThompson)contextualizedanentirecourse(timewrittenintogrant)
• 21.9%plannedto/havedefinitelycontextualize(d)atleastonelessonforFallimplementation
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72,36%
25,12%14,7%
89,45%
MadisonTrainingbyNumbers– ParticipatingFacultyCoursesbySubjectArea
StudentSuccess
ElectronicTechnology
IndustrialEquipmentMechanicMathematics
12Faculty
Numberofcoursesbysubject-Originalcourselistselectedforstudy
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MadisonTrainingbyNumbers– ParticipatingFacultyCoursesbySubjectArea
12 3 421 14
2 124 33
12 3 152 13 4 14
161
332
10 6 8 7 16 16 13 1
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Architectural…
Automobile-Mechanical
AutomotiveTechnology
Biotechnology
CareerEducation
Carpentry
Chemistry
CollegeSuccess
Constructionand…
ElectronicTechnology
ElectronicsServicing
English-AdultBasic…
HomeRepair,Auto,…
IndustrialEquipment…
Industrial…
MachineTool
Math-AdultBasic…
Mathematics
MechanicalDesign…
Professional…
Reading-AdultBasic…
Science
Science-AdultBasic…
SocialScience-Adult…
StudentSuccess
Supervision-…
Allsubjectstaughtby32participatingfaculty
Subject
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...andrepeat...Questions?
PlanningandTraining
CollaborationandCurriculumDevelopment
ImplementationDataAnalysis
BethanySansing-HeltonMathInstructorSchoolofArts&Sciences
TonyCinaMathInstructor
SchoolofAcademic
Advancement
AnnThompsonElectricalEngineeringTechnologyInstructor
SchoolofAppliedScience,Engineering&Technology
ZongHerProjectLeaderInstitutionalResearchAndEffectiveness
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Let’sdiscuss:Developingcommunitiesofpracticearoundcontextualization
• Howtocontextualizelessons• Howtoshareresources• Howtostructureresourcestomaximizeusage
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Wrap-upandPlanningforWinter/Spring2018