Collaborative Research: Preparing Future Middle and High School Mathematics Teachers to Lead Productive Geometry Discussions using Web-Based Dynamic Geometry Technology Tools

This project aims to serve the national interest by creating curricula for undergraduate students who are future middle and high school mathematics teachers. These materials will be used to prepare future teachers to learn how to use technology to lead productive mathematics discussions when teaching geometry concepts. The Level 3 Engaged Student Learning project has three goals: 1) create online modules focused on preparing future teachers to facilitate productive mathematics discussions with the use of web-based dynamic geometry tools, 2) conduct research studies on future middle and high school mathematics teachers’ noticing of grades 6-12 students’ geometric thinking while using technology and the ways they use that analysis to plan a productive discussion, and 3) provide support for mathematics teacher educators to use the materials with prospective teachers at their institutions.

The curriculum materials will include tasks that are of high cognitive demand, including video cases and samples of middle and high school students’ work on those tasks to prepare future middle and high school mathematics teachers to analyze students’ thinking and use that thinking to lead productive discussions. The project team will conduct research on 40-60 future teachers’ by examining how they analyze students’ thinking with technology and the ways they use that analysis to plan to lead discussions.

Research will also be conducted on 30-40 mathematics teacher educators to study the impacts of the support on their knowledge of technology, pedagogy, and technology. Findings will be disseminated broadly through conference presentations and research publications. The curriculum materials that are developed by the project will be freely distributed to mathematics teacher educators across the nation using an existing online professional learning portal.

The NSF IUSE: EDU Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students for Engaged Student Learning projects. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.