MSP News: Welcome to Three New Projects
January 14, 2010
HIGHLIGHTS AT A GLANCE
1. NEW IN LIBRARY
A. "Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence," Mark McDaniel, Doug Rohrer, Robert Bjork, in Psychological Science and the Public Interest (pp. 106-116), December 2008.
B. "A New Model of Student Assessment for the 21st Century," Camille A. Farrington, Margaret H. Small, American Youth Policy Forum, 2008.
C. "Alternative High School Math Pathways in Massachusetts: Developing an On-Ramp to Minimize College Remediation in Mathematics," The Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy, April 2009.
2. WELCOME TO THREE NEW PROJECTS
MSP Start: Preparing Urban Lakeshore Science Educators (PULSE)
PI: Gary Wood
RETA: Impact of MSP Professional Development on the Quality of Instruction in Middle-School Mathematics Classrooms
PI: Kwang Suk Yoon
MSP Start: Science and Math Applied Real-problem Teaching (SMART)
PI: Sean Bentley
DETAILS BELOW
1. NEW IN LIBRARY
A. "Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence," Mark McDaniel, Doug Rohrer, Robert Bjork, in Psychological Science and the Public Interest (pp. 106-116), December 2008.
"The term "learning styles" refers to the concept that individuals differ in regard to what mode of instruction or study is most effective for them. Proponents of learning-style assessment contend that optimal instruction requires diagnosing individuals' learning style and tailoring instruction accordingly. Assessments of learning style typically ask people to evaluate what sort of information presentation they prefer (e.g., words versus pictures versus speech) and/or what kind of mental activity they find most engaging or congenial (e.g., analysis versus listening), although assessment instruments are extremely diverse. The most common--but not the only--hypothesis about the instructional relevance of learning styles is the meshing hypothesis, according to which instruction is best provided in a format that matches the preferences of the learner (e.g., for a ''visual learner,'' emphasizing visual presentation of information). The learning-styles view has acquired great influence within the education field, and is frequently encountered at levels ranging from kindergarten to graduate school. There is a thriving industry devoted to publishing learning-styles tests and guidebooks for teachers, and many organizations offer professional development workshops for teachers and educators built around the concept of learning styles. The authors of the present review were charged with determining whether these practices are supported by scientific evidence. We concluded that any credible validation of learning-styles-based instruction requires robust documentation of a very particular type of experimental finding with several necessary criteria."
MSPnet Location: LIBRARY>>Teaching & Learning
http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/20246
B. "A New Model of Student Assessment for the 21st Century," Camille A. Farrington, Margaret H. Small, American Youth Policy Forum, 2008.
"The chronic academic underperformance and student failure of most American urban high schools are actually created by the antiquated way that schools evaluate student academic performance and award (or deny) course credits. When the school leaders in a small inner-city high school in Chicago began to question the "received wisdom" of high school student assessment and common practices of grading, remarkable improvements in student performance followed, not just once, but year after year. By changing the system by which high school students pass courses and earn course credits, the school was able to simultaneously raise graduation requirements and increase graduation rates. These school leaders also created a student assessment database that serves as a model for a new generation of school and district student data systems, using classroom assessment data to inform instruction and to direct support services and remediation.
How does a school take urban kids with low test scores and myriad other life challenges and, within a few years, remediate a history of underachievement, significantly improve their chance of graduating, and successfully propel them on to college? This brief case study challenges long-established practices and offers districts possibilities for improving secondary education outcomes by rethinking our understanding of academic success and transforming the structure and tracking of student achievement."
MSPnet Location: LIBRARY>>Teaching & Learning
http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/20244
C. "Alternative High School Math Pathways in Massachusetts: Developing an On-Ramp to Minimize College Remediation in Mathematics," The Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy, April 2009.
"In this position paper, the Rennie Center proposes a plan that would significantly reduce the number of students who require college remediation in mathematics, with the ultimate goal of eliminating the need for college remediation. This alternative pathway through high school mathematics would better motivate, serve, and prepare students who are currently struggling to advance through the existing progression of mathematics courses and ensure that all students receive a firm foundation in mathematics through Algebra II. In this paper, we outline Massachusetts' current procedure for college placement in mathematics, describe initiatives in other states that are addressing the challenges of remediation, and propose a new plan for high school mathematics courses designed to improve the quality of mathematics instruction and drastically reduce remediation rates. "
MSPnet Location: LIBRARY>>Teaching & Learning
http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/20245
2. WELCOME TO THREE NEW PROJECTS
MSP Start: Preparing Urban Lakeshore Science Educators (PULSE)
PI: Gary Wood
The Preparing Urban Lakeshore Science Educators (PULSE) project brings together the University of Wisconsin-Parkside as lead institution, and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and the Racine Unified School District as core partners. These partners are working with the Kenosha Unified School District and other school districts and University of Wisconsin campuses to establish a broad partnership with a shared vision to address the science achievement gap between urban and suburban students and the challenge of high teacher turnover. The partnership brings together university science and education faculty, district science teachers, and administrators from the universities and school districts, to conduct a thorough review of the literature and resources for science professional development, particularly for grades 3-8, and a comprehensive needs analysis of area teachers.
http://pulse.mspnet.org
RETA: Impact of MSP Professional Development on the Quality of Instruction in Middle-School Mathematics Classrooms
PI: Kwang Suk Yoon
The purpose of this Research, Evaluation and Technical Assistance (RETA) study under the NSF Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) Program is to assess the impact of MSP-supported professional development (PD) on the quality of instructional practice in middle schools. The American Institutes for Research (AIR) will be partnering with Eastern Michigan University to conduct the multi-site study which will be focused on mathematics classrooms.
http://pdimpact.mspnet.org
MSP Start: Science and Math Applied Real-problem Teaching (SMART)
PI: Sean Bentley
The Science and Math Applied Real-problem Teaching (SMART) project is a collaboration between the core partners Adelphi University, Westbury High School, and the Cradle of Aviation Museum. The goal of the project is to enhance the quality of high school science and mathematics education in high-needs schools in Long Island, New York by (1) jointly developing a museum-based curriculum grounded in inquiry models of instruction and (2) building school capacity for ongoing professional development and build learning communities among math and science teachers.
http://smart.mspnet.org