Local Systemic Change Initiatives in Science and
Mathematics
Frances Lawrenz and Thomas Post, Department of Curriculum &
Instruction, University of Minnesota
The Science and Mathematics Standards (NCTM, 1989; NRC, 1996; AAAS, 1993)
propose comprehensive change in science and mathematics education. Both sets
of Standards emphasize achievement of higher order thinking skills as well
as science and mathematics for all students. The higher order skills relate
to the ability to think mathematically and/or scientifically and the ability
to communicate these thoughts effectively to others. To accomplish this both
sets of Standards specify the types of content and understandings that
students should achieve. The prescribed content is rigorous and requires
studying concepts at developmentally appropriate times, in more depth and
with less repetition. The ideal of science (and mathematics) for all
students implies that all students regardless of social class, cultural
background or individual challenges will be able to achieve the standards.
 Both
sets of standards describe the types of classroom environments that would
support the attainment of the goals. These classrooms are exciting learning
communities where all learners discuss prior conceptions, learn existing
material, develop new knowledge and communicate new understandings. Students
use their hands and minds to understand concepts by engaging in science and
mathematics in developmentally appropriate ways. Students ask their own
questions of mathematics and science and design investigations to answer
their questions. They learn to connect their ideas to the larger body of
knowledge developed by scientists and mathematicians. An overwhelming body
of research clearly associates a variety of desirable educational outcomes
with learning environments where subject matter is personally relevant,
students are actively engaged in learning and discourse focuses on inquiry
about important problems (Fraser, 1994).
Many models have been proposed to foster the science and mathematics
standards. The National Science Foundation's Local System Change Program
(Horizon Research, 1997) is one such initiative. This program was designed
to broaden the impact, accelerate the pace and increase the effectiveness of
improvements in K-12 science and mathematics education. Grounded in the
belief that significant change would most likely occur in a system
supportive of change, the program helps local areas achieve the standards by
improving local educational systems. The expectation is that teacher
enhancement efforts, standards based curriculum, parents, informal science
and mathematics education institutions, local businesses and industries,
nearby colleges and universities and local policies will all come together
to achieve a common goal. The program supports teacher professional
development and the use of NSF- approved science and math curricula with
more system-related goals.
A unique aspect of the LSC program is its attention to evaluation. LSC
requires all projects to participate in a nation wide evaluation effort,
termed the core evaluation, as well as individual evaluation efforts
specifically related to local project goals. The national evaluation effort
produces data that can be aggregated and therefore, provides information to
NSF on the status of the program overall (Horizon Research, 1997). Frances
Lawrenz at the University of Minnesota coordinated the evaluation of the
Minneapolis Public Schools LSC evaluation. The core evaluation requirements
are to:
-
Observe 5-8 professional development
sessions per year
-
Administer 300 teacher questionnaires to
teachers in the participating school districts
-
Administer questionnaires to all principals
in participating districts
-
Conduct a minimum of 10 classroom
observations
-
Conduct interviews with 10 randomly selected
teachers
- Interview the project administrative team
To ensure uniform data collection, all of the requirements are supported
by protocols, surveys or observation formats. Evaluators are required to
attend national sessions to learn how to use the instruments appropriately.
The LSC program fits within the NSF's systemic philosophy that targets
rural areas, urban areas, teacher preparation, and states as well as local
systems. The NSF has proposed a set of six drivers for systemic change. They
are:
-
A comprehensive, standards-based curricula,
including student assessment, in every classroom with laboratory and
other learning experience provided through the system and its partners.
-
A coherent, consistent set of policies that
support: high quality mathematics and science education for each
student; excellent preparation, continuing education, and support for
each mathematics and science teacher (including elementary teachers);
and administrative support for all persons who work to dramatically
improve achievement among all students.
-
Convergence of all resources designed to
support science and mathematics education-fiscal, intellectual,
material, curricular, and extra-curricular-into a focused and unitary
program to constantly upgrade, renew, and improve mathematics and
science instruction for all students.
-
Broad-based support from parents,
policymakers, higher education, business and industry, foundations, and
others for the goals of the program, based on rich presentations of the
ideas behind the program, the evidence gathered about its successes and
its failures, and critical discussions of its efforts.
-
Evidence that the program is enhancing
student achievement, through a broad set of indices that might include
achievement test scores, higher level courses passed, college admission
rates, college majors, advanced placement tests taken, portfolio
assessment, and ratings from summer employers. The evidence should
demonstrate that students are generally achieving at a significantly
higher level in science and mathematics.
-
Higher student achievement levels, including
those historically underserved.
There are two LSC projects associated with the College of Education and
Human Development at the University of Minnesota. One is a K-8 science
project in the Minneapolis Public Schools and one is a mathematics project
involving a consortium of districts in the metro area. Both projects are
designed to help students achieve the science and mathematics standards and
each offers a different mechanism for accomplishing these goals. Science and
mathematics fellows housed in CAREI assists both projects in their
evaluation efforts.
The Minneapolis project is embedded in the school district and therefore
has the advantage of being directly tied to district goals and initiatives.
On the other hand it is subject to competing district priorities. Its model
for systemic change is built on the district's existing mechanisms.
For the project, the district divided into geographical regions with a
liaison teacher assigned to each region. The liaisons interact with the
schools to help build school-based agendas for improvement in science
instruction. Additionally within each area, specific schools were targeted
as focus schools for two years; new schools were identified each year. In
this way all of the schools in the district would be designated as focus
schools some time during the five-year project.
Focus schools had specific requirements for improving science education
and received certain priority in access to district support. Each focus
school developed a school improvement plan and all of the teachers within
the school developed personal professional improvement plans that included a
science focus. Each school identified a lead teacher. The liaison teachers
learned their job and in turn provided individualized professional
development to the teachers in the focus schools.
All teachers in the district had access to professional development
opportunities in areas like standards based curricula, leadership,
understanding the language of poverty, classroom management, and cooperative
groups. In addition to the school-based improvement thrust, the project
components included scientist involvement, community support and equity.
These components were designed to complement and support the school
improvement.
In operation for only one and one half years, the project is in its
beginning stages. Despite its infancy, however, it has made several strides
toward its goals. One of the most significant strides was the selection of
standards-based science kits to be used at each grade level (more are
possible). This clarifies for the teachers what is expected of them and
highlights the District interest in science. The District also specifies
grade level expectations and performance assessment packages that include
science for all students. Science goals are included in the required school
improvement plans and several schools have agreed to contribute funds to
support a science materials center. A middle school science curriculum was
essentially nonexistent but steps have been taken to consolidate the middle
school science teachers and involve them in developing a curriculum matched
to District, State and national standards. Many scientists are involved in
the District's professional development. Finally with the LSC and funding
from Medtronic the District purchased many new science kits and the LSC
provided in-service on the kits for hundreds of the District's teachers.
The mathematics LSC project, "Merging to Achieve Standards Project in
Minneapolis and St. Paul (MASP)", is directed by Thomas R. Post, Professor
of Mathematics Education at the University of Minnesota. Co-PIs are Edwin
Andersen, Director of Open Access and Co-Director of the Minneapolis
Interactive Mathematics Program site and Arnie Cutler, K-12 Education
Coordinator at the Geometry Center at the University of Minnesota. The major
goal of the project is to directly assist partner districts in selecting and
implementing curriculum materials sponsored by the NSF, and to prepare their
teachers to successfully teach these curricula to their respective student
populations. The districts or schools must commit to using one of the new
NSF middle or high school curriculum projects which have direct and
verifiable linkages to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Curriculum & Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics and, Professional
Standards for Teaching Mathematics and other supporting documents. The State
of Minnesota graduation standards for 9th grade mathematics students require
demonstrated performance in: 1) Algebraic Patterns or Technical Applications
at the Algebra 2 level, 2) Shape, Space and Measurement, 3) Discrete
Mathematics, and 4) Chance and Data Analysis. The NSF curricula presented by
this project are a perfect fit for these state standards.
A second goal of the project is to develop, implement and refine a
replicable model for large scale implementation of new NSF curricula. This
model will be shared with other interested districts and regions. The model
is based on purposeful and planned professional development for each 6-12
mathematics teacher through the summer and academic year. Professional
development involves mathematical content, mathematics pedagogy, and
attention to learning theory and promising assessment practices. Teachers
participate in two weeks of mathematics and pedagogy of the selected
curricula during the first summer. This is followed by a year of mentoring
by selected and specially trained classroom teachers including an additional
four days of professional development. A lesser amount of support is offered
during the second year.
Judging by its success to date, the project has assembled an attractive
package of incentives in collaboration with partner districts to help
teachers move toward full implementation of NSF Curricula. Districts
participating in this project have made strong efforts to assist their
teachers in making district- wide and/or building-wide commitments to the
implementation of NSF Curricula. Eighteen of the partner districts have
committed to the adoption of NSF Curricula as either the only choice or one
of two choices in their district. Each district supports the project by
providing up to $2000 per teacher participant of direct support in the form
of stipends, release time, substitute time, workshop expenses, etc. In
addition, they agree to purchase the necessary curriculum materials for
teachers and students.
To date four districts have adopted Mathematics: Modeling Our World
(ARISE); two districts, including Minneapolis, have adopted Interactive
Mathematics Project (IMP); and 11 districts have adopted Core+. In the
middle schools, eleven districts have adopted CMP and five districts have
adopted Six Through Eight Mathematics (STEM). Additional districts are
piloting materials with the intent to make specific decisions in the next
year. More than 42,000 students were studying an NSF-sponsored curriculum in
the fall of 1998. These are mostly 6th and 9th grade classrooms. These
districts plan to continue the implementation in the next two years by
phasing the curricula into 7th and 10th grade classrooms in 1999-2000 and
into 8th and 11th grade classrooms in 2000-2001. This will involve an
estimated additional 35,000 students per year. By the end of summer, 1998,
500 teachers completed the initial professional development. The project
received funding for an additional 400 teachers who will be anticipating
their professional development in the summers of 1999 and 2000 in order to
complete the full implementation of NSF sponsored curricula in their
district.
References
American Association for the Advancement of Science. (1993).
Benchmarks for Science Literacy. New York: Oxford University Press.
Fraser, B.J. (1994). Research on classroom and school climate. In D. L.
Gabel (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Science Teaching and Learning.
New York: Macmillan.
Horizon Research Incorporated. (1997). Local Systemic Change Core
Evaluation Data Collection Manual. Chapel Hill, NC: Horizon Research
Incorporated.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (1989).
Curriculum and
Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics. Reston, VA: NCTM.
National Research Council. (1996). National Science Education
Standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
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