Abstract
In the summer of 2009, a professional development partnership was established between the Peoria Public School District (PPSD), a local education agency (LEA), and Illinois State University (ISU) to improve geometric and trigonometric knowledge and skill for high school mathematics teachers as part of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) grant, which was funded by the Federal Department of Education. The MSP is aimed at improving the content knowledge of mathematics teachers regarding the implementation of three-dimensional (3-D) solid modeling in the mathematics classroom; the ultimate goal is to improve students’ learning in mathematics. The premise for this professional development grant can be found in the literature that suggests that there is a significant positive relationship between spatial visualization abilities and mathematical performance. Also, the literature implies that spatial ability and visual imagery play vital roles in mathematical thinking. Further, the professional development program maintains that spatial visualization and reasoning are core skills that all students should develop. Eight mathematics teachers from the PPSD and the LEA’s Mathematics Coordinator completed over 80 hours of professional development geared toward the improvement of teaching mathematics; they used 3-D solid modeling software (SolidWorks, 2009) during the summer and fall semesters of 2009 and during the spring 2010 semester, these teachers conducted action research projects based on their professional development. Formative and summative evaluation techniques were developed and implemented.
Highlights
In the summer of 2009, a professional development partnership was established between the Peoria Public School District (PPSD) and Illinois State University (ISU) to improve geometric and trigonometric knowledge and skill for mathematics teachers as part of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) grant, which was funded by the Federal Department of Education
The purposes of this research are to (a) share related literature on spatial visualization as it pertains to mathematics, (b) highlight a collaborative professional development program for mathematics teachers that utilized a 3-D solid modeling software approach to better teach geometric and trigonometric concepts, (c) explain the initial findings of this professional development program, and (d) discuss implications for collaborative efforts among science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educators
Each member of the higher education faculty had an interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teaching and learning, but none had a formal degree in science or mathematics
Summary
In the summer of 2009, a professional development partnership was established between the Peoria Public School District (PPSD) and Illinois State University (ISU) to improve geometric and trigonometric knowledge and skill for mathematics teachers as part of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) grant, which was funded by the Federal Department of Education. The purpose of this MSP grant was to improve the content knowledge of mathematics teachers (seven high schools and one middle school) regarding the use and implementation of three-dimensional (3D) solid modeling in the mathematics classroom. After by external evaluators and dovetailed with the completion of the scheduled professional devel-
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