Making Sense of Mathematics and Teaching
Background:
The University of Northern Iowa provided professional development for teachers in the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) system for more than 15 years. As a result, courses were developed using Developing Mathematical Ideas (DMI), a case study-based professional text that focused on the development of teacher knowledge of mathematics through examination of student thinking about mathematics.
Through the professional development efforts with DoDEA, nearly 30 Iowa mathematics educators, many of whom are Area Education Agency (AEA) consultants for the state, were trained to provide the DMI professional development courses. These AEA consultants recognized that Iowa teachers could benefit from taking the DMI courses.
Spring of 2009, an IMSEP grant supported rewriting one of the DMI courses to align with the Iowa Core Curriculum, Every Student Counts, and the Iowa Professional Development model. As a result, Making Sense of Numbers (MSN)was written by a team consisting of AEA consultants and UNI faculty and staff. MSN was taught in northwest Iowa.
During the summer and fall 2009, Making Sense of Numbers was facilitated in southwest Iowa as a result of an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant received by an AEA 14 Consultant.
During the summer and fall of 2009, a second course, Making Sense of Operations (MSO) was written using Mathematics Department funds. MSO will be facilitated in southwest Iowa spring of 2010.
A Roy J. Carver Trust grant proposal was submitted to write five additional Making Sense courses.
A Title II grant proposal was submitted to deliver the Making Sense courses to 40 teachers in AEA 13 and 14 (southwest Iowa).
Who is working on the Making Sense professional development courses?
Course developers include:
- Corrine Breitsprecker, Annette Louk, Connie Terry, AEA consultants, and Angie Shindler, middle school teacher - curriculum writers
- Megan Balong, UNI faculty - Iowa Core Curriculum alignment and course editor
- Deb Rich, SOAR team member – Iowa Professional Development Model alignment and course editor
- Cari Mathwig, AVS group – instructional designer and course editor
- Belle Cowden, Continuing Education – web developer
- Edward Rathmell and Larry Leutzinger, UNI faculty members - graduate course reviewer
Corrine Breitsprecker, Annette Louk, Connie Terry, and Angie Shindler taught the Making Sense courses during the past year.
What is the Making Sense professional development team doing?
Connie Terry taught Making Sense of Numbers Fall 2009 and will teach Making Sense of Operations spring 2010 in AEA 14.
Corrine Breitsprecker taught Making Sense of Numbers in AEA 11 and Annette Louk plans to teach Making Sense of Operations in AEA 8 in the spring. We are seeking funding to continue course development and support for course delivery.
When did this project begin – when is it expected to end?
The project started with the IMSEP award. Making Sense of Numbers has been facilitated for approximately 50 teachers three locations: AEA 8, AEA 14, and AEA 11. Making Sense of Operations will be facilitated spring of 2010 for ≈20 teachers, and AEA 8 has requested that Making Sense of Numbers be facilitated in the online format in the spring. We are exploring the opportunity to deliver the courses across the state.
Where and how are these courses delivered?
Course delivery can occur either online or in a face-to-face hybrid format. So far, courses have been delivered in the hybrid format in Pocahontas, Creston, and Ames.
Why are we doing this?
The intent of the Making Sense courses is to deliver high-quality professional development to elementary teachers focused on increasing mathematical content knowledge and on improving instruction aligned with the Iowa Core Curriculum and Every Student Counts in their classrooms. Following is a quote from a post on the online portion of the course, “MAKING SENSE OF NUMBERS has provided me with tools that give me confidence in using the new strategies, and I am eager to put what I have learned into practice.” (Mary Foth, 6th grade teacher, Seton School, Algona District)