The University of Illinois will carry out the project, "Teacher Preparation Archives: Case Studies of NSF-funded Middle School Math and Science Teacher Preparation Projects." The project will analyze and evaluate the nine middle-school teacher preparation projects funded through a program solicitation in 1985-86 and will archive information and materials from these projects. Each middle school project will be visited by a researcher who will carry out an in-depth study of the project, collect and archive materials from the project, and prepare a case- study report describing the site. A set of common issues and questions will be examined across all sites, and researchers will be encouraged to pursue additional topics specific to each site. Researchers will explore the development of each project, its successes and accomplishments, and the difficulties experienced and lessons learned. A repository will be established to archive the collected materials from all the sites, and the site visit reports will be incorporated into a document which will be widely disseminated to mathematics and science educators. This document and archived materials will provide a mechanism for the middle school projects to influence teacher preparation practice throughout the country.
