ACT now: Algebraic Connections and Technology for the Middle Grades
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, NCLB Teacher Quality Improvement Grant ($ 73,000, 2008-2009)
Jennifer Suh, PI; Padhu Seshaiyar & Margret Hjalmarson, co-PIs

This grant currently funds a 2008-2009 NCLB project consisting of two phases. The first phase was completed in August, 2008. Forty-one Fairfax County public school teachers participated in an 8-day institute which focused on making algebraic connections at all levels of elementary and middle school mathematics, with an emphasis on integrating technology. The second phase occurred in the Fall, 2008 semester, during which teachers participated in Lesson Study in their respective schools. In addition to these two phases of the project, teachers earned 3 graduate-level credits at GMU, and they will attend the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. in April, 2009 to disseminate their learning.

Linking Interest and Conceptual Knowledge in Electrical Engineering
National Science Foundation, Division of Engineering Education & Centers, ($88,321, 2008-2009)
Margret Hjalmarson, PI; Jill Nelson, co-PI

The goal of this engineering educations research project is to investigate the link between students? conceptual knowledge of engineering and their interest in the field. The study is conducted within the context of two junior-year electrical engineering courses. The project combines qualitative and quantitative measures, including a proven assessment of student knowledge (the Signals and Systems Concept Inventory), to broaden the examination of the nature of student understanding and to investigate the impact of in class problem solving on students’ learning and interest in upper-level engineering courses with significant mathematics components. The Engineer of 2020 and other reports have identified mathematics as significant to engineering learning. The proposed study will integrate multiple quantitative and qualitative data sources in a case study about students? mathematics knowledge for engineering in signals and systems. We will utilize the Signals and Systems Concept Inventory as a pre- and post-test measure of student understanding. For more in-depth analysis, we will collect student responses to in-class tasks throughout the semester, conduct clinical interviews, collect student transcript data, and use student performance on course exams. This combines multiple types of assessment to provide a comprehensive picture of students? knowledge and interest in engineering with a focus on the area of signals and systems.

Mathematics and Science Partnerships Program Evaluation (MSP-PE)

National Science Foundation ($14.7 million, 2004-2007)

Project Goal: MSP-PE evaluates the MSP program in its entirety. The Mathematics Education Center worked with the Cosmos Corporation (Lead PI) and Vanderbilt University (Co-PI). The evaluation assessed the MSP program's impact as well as its contribution in advancing knowledge about mathematics and science education. MSP-PE consisted of a series of substudies. Dr. Robert K. Yin (C) was the Lead-PI; and Profs. Patricia Moyer-Packenham (GMU), Kenneth Wong (Vanderbilt), and Dr. Jennifer Scherer (Cosmos) served as co-PIs.

Math Bridges II Project - Concepts & Connections in the K-8 Standards.

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, NCLB Improving Teacher Quality Grants Program, ($95,203, 2003-2004)

Project goal: Provide professional development in the use of concrete and virtual manipulatives for 80 K-8 teachers in the Loudoun County Public School System. (Patricia Moyer-Packenham)

Project goal: Provide professional development in the use of concrete and virtual manipulatives for 60 K-8 teachers in the Loudon County Public School System that increases the mathematics achievement of students. Pictures and video segments from the summer 2002 (Patricia Moyer-Packenham).

M2ATH FACTS Project: Mathematics Manipulatives and Technology for Fairfax County Middle School Special Education Teachers.

Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program, Virginia. ($40,675, 2001-2002).

Project goal: Provide professional development in rigorous mathematics content using research-based instructional practices and a variety of mathematics tools to support middle grades special education teachers in the implementation of high quality mathematics instruction in their classrooms. (Patricia Moyer-Packenham)