Project IMPACT – Improving Mathematical Practices of Alabama Classroom Teachers

This project was funded (see CV page) for three years to work with secondary mathematics teachers when new Alabama Mathematics Standards were implemented in 2012.  

Results from this project included the development and validity of the MCOP2 as a national instrument for evaluation and research related to the mathematical practice standards.

24 teachers completed three years of PD and subsequently many are supervisors/cooperating teachers of our preservice teachers.

Teacher content knowledge improved, facilitation of mathematical practices improved, and student engagement in the practices improved.

UA Noyce Scholars Program

Funded by NSF, this five year project resulted in awarding 18 (to date) of 23 scholarships for prospective teachers to earn a teaching certification in mathematics.  

Given the strength of the SEMA program, previous students and current students aided the Noyce summer internships to help recruit interested candidates into the program.  

This project has resulted in two innovative programs being created, including a dual certification in math/physics for grades 6-12 and an accelerated master’s program for advanced students in mathematics.  

While this project is still ongoing, an online induction support course for graduate scholars will endure through 2021 as part of the early career teacher support.

Scholarships were last offered in 2018 and the grant ends September 2019.  Induction support will continue into 2021.

Creating a Pathway for Secondary Mathematics Education Pre-Service Teachers to include Computer Science Principles in their Teaching

Funded by NSF, this two year project represents an opportunity for SEMA students to elect to enroll in an additional pedagogy course focused on teaching AP Computer Science Principles. 

While this is not required in the SEMA program, the grant supports teacher candidates who elect to participate.  71% of the 2018 graduates who will begin teaching fall 2018 in schools elected to participate. 

We anticipate this project developing the course very well, as well as providing Alabama and beyond, mathematics teachers who can advocate for the AP CSP course in their high schools, but even teach such a course.  At the middle grades level, adding the exploring course ECS is also possible.

Overall, the project the project certified 30 of 45 SEMA teacher candidates to add-on a CS teaching endorsement.  Project website: ​https://sema4cs.ua.edu/

The success of this project led to NSF funding a second project collaborating with seven universities across Alabama and opening CS endorsements to all secondary teaching disciplines. Project website: https://seed4alcs.ua.edu/

National Mathematics Teacher Education Partnership – UA Team

This project is focused on transformation secondary mathematics teacher preparations through Network Improvement Communities. The University of Alabama’s team comprised of Drs. Jeremy Zelkowski, Jim Gleason, Martha Makowski.  Partnered with Tuscaloosa City and County Schools, we have engaged in a multi-year project to transform our secondary mathematics teacher preparation program.  UA is one of the leading programs to have transformed nationally, but we still have on-going work planned the next five years.

Dr. Zelkowski is currently leading the Methods-Clinical Experiences Research Action Cluster (RAC) in the national partnership, working towards the development, refinement, and publishing of three modules to integrate into programs for methods instructors, preservice teachers, and cooperating mentor teachers towards one unified vision through activities to engage teacher candidates with mentor teachers. Information and access to these modules is available here: https://cerac-methods.ua.edu/

For more MTEP information, please see the MTEP national website.

MTEP Conference Proceedings can be found on this website or the MTEP national website.