The proposal submitted by the partnership of Horizon Research, Inc. (HRI) and the Education Development Center (EDC) is a five-year project, which collects, evaluates, codifies and disseminates MSP-relevant knowledge to current and future MSP awardees and others. The work contributes to the MSP Learning Network collaborating with Research Evaluation and Technical Assistance projects and other MSPs, capitalizing upon their efforts and locating additional existing research relevant to MSP work. The project makes use of teams of consultants with expertise in (1) teacher education including recruitment, preservice, and inservice professional development; (2) mathematics and science curriculum both K-12 and higher education; (3) equity and diversity; (4) institutionalization of large-scale reform; (5) research methodology; and (6) knowledge management. An external Advisory Committee provides oversight for the project including "auditing" the criteria used to identify screen and critique the research and assess the resulting research reviews and associated tools. The first year of the project is devoted to planning.
Intellectual Merit:
Using a three stage model of knowledge management (Nevis, DiBella and Gold, 1995) the project attends to knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing and knowledge utilization. The project locates existing work relevant to MSP projects; analyzing studies to identify findings based upon methodologically sound-quantitative and qualitative research noting the apparent generalizability of these findings and sharing the results in forms that are accessible to current and future MSP awardees. An important component of the proposed work is to conduct research on "knowledge management" studying how MSP's make use of research-based knowledge and tools to inform the design, implementation, and evaluation of their mathematics and science education reform initiatives. The results of this research are useful to MSP projects and the broader field.
Broader Impact:
The materials are made readily available to (1) leaders of current MSP's; (2) developers of prospective MSP projects; and (3) MSP state coordinators who develop solicitations for MSP Programs supported by the US Department of Education. The reviews of extant research, results of interviews with MSP project leaders, case studies of MSP efforts in chosen areas and tools to help leaders apply findings to their initiatives are posted on MSPNet.
June 2012 The Math Science Partnership (MSP) program supports partnerships between institutions of higher education and local school districts, with the dual aims of improving STEM education locally and generating knowledge that can be used to make improvements at scale. Knowledge Management and Dissemination (MSP-KMD) project was designed to situate what the partnerships are learning in the broader context, summarizing and sharing what is known in some key areas of STEM education. MSP- KMD focused on deepening teacher content knowledge; developing teacher leaders; supporting beginning teachers; designing and implementing school-based professional learning communities; and involving STEM faculty in K-12 education improvement efforts. Typically, work in an area began with the development of a theoretical framing paper, helping to define (and bound) the territory that would be explored. Systematic reviews of the literature were then used to identify studies in a given area. Standards of evidence developed by MSP-KMD were used to review these studies as well as relevant MSP research in order to assess what is known, how well it is known, and how broadly the knowledge applies. Results are reported in a series of research reviews posted on the MSP-KMD web site (www.mspkmd.net). The standards of evidence developed by the project have been made available to the field, as have two publications that apply those standards. First, a "User-Friendly Tool" was developed to help STEM faculty and others who might be new to social science research consider what is entailed in research on STEM education interventions. Second, a Consumer’s Guide to Research on STEM Education was developed to help potential users assess the quality of research studies. The review of research on deepening teacher content knowledge was also used to create a searchable database of measures that have been used to assess teacher disciplinary content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and/or understanding of mathematics/science as disciplines. Recognizing that expert practitioners have considerable knowledge about deepening teacher content knowledge, preparing/deploying/supporting teacher leaders, etc., MSP-KMD developed a process to collect and test practice-based insights. In a series of on-line "panel discussions " in a given area such as professional learning communities, 10-15 experienced program leaders and evaluators were asked about what works, for whom, and under what conditions, with subsequent rounds used to clarify the reasons for any differences, and to craft "advice to the field" about effective use of particular approaches. The resulting practice-based insights are reported in a series of knowledge reviews posted on the MSP-KMD web site. The MSP program aims not only to improve STEM education, but also to sustain the improvement process so that the impact will last beyond the projects’ funded periods. MSP-KMD conducted case studies of partnerships, focusing on lessons learned about sustainability in deepening teacher content knowledge and developing teacher leadership. In addition to posting various products on the MSP-KMD project website, dissemination has included presentations at conferences, e.g., the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics, the National Science Education Leadership Association, the Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences, and the Council of Scientific Society Presidents. Finally, information about the MSP-KMD processes and findings has been shared in several journal articles and in practitioner newsletters, e.g. the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the American Association of School Administrators.
