This three-year effort of the UNC Mathematics and Science Education Network is a statewide plan for enhancing teacher education in the area of statistics. Each of nine sites across the state will be involved. The project focuses on teachers of grades one through six, and will establish a structure in the state for encouraging and supporting the teaching of statistics in those grades. The project includes a series of seminars in statistics education for university and college faculty; the development of an initial cadre of principals and elementary school teachers who will participate in professional development programs and implement plans to teach statistics in their schools; and to spread the project through the state by preparing cadres of statistics educators (elementary teachers who have participated in the project) and supporting their efforts with local school systems. The project includes a research effort, as well as a strong emphasis on the development of professional materials for teachers. The project will be a complementary effort to the North Carolina Statewide Systemic Initiative, which is directed by the North Carolina Alliance for Mathematics and Science. In the first year, teacher educators from the regional sites will participate in a planning seminar, and will select local teams of teachers and principals. Each of the nine sites will select a six-person teams. A summer institute will be held in 1992 at UNC Chapel Hill for the teacher members of the teams, and the faculty members from the nine sites. Principals will attend for part of this time. Implementation and regional meetings occur in the 1992-93 academic year; during this year each site also selects 24 new participants. In summer 1993, three-week summer institutes are held at the regional sites, with 24 teachers at each site, conducted by the local teams. The inservice materials developed in year one will serve as the foundation for these summer institutes. In the 93-94 year, regional support and followup is the major activity, and in the summer of 1994 a special one-week institute for statistics educators will be implemented. In addition, summer institutes will be offered regionally in 1994, of two-week and three-week duration, with local support. Cost sharing is included as 67% of the NSF award.
