O E R in Mathematics Professional Development Project

A free and open set of professional development resources for learning and teaching mathematics.

Home


Project Overview


Project Partners


What is OER?




Curriculum, Assessment, & Instruction


Project Resources


Reflections


OER for Mathematics


Project Overview

The goal of this project is to develop and provide professional development to effectively utilize open educational resources (OER) for the learning and teaching of mathematics for Maine, U.S.A. grades 7-12 educators. The professional development focuses on the use of research-based instructional methods for mathematics indicators in the Maine Learning Results (MLR): Parameters for Essential Instruction (PEI). Staff and leadership from Maine RSU #11 (Gardiner, Pittston, Randolph and West Gardiner), Maine RSU #54 (Caanan, Cornville, Mercer, Norridgewock, Skowhegan, Smithfield), and Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) collaborated to develop, pilot, and implement state-wide a comprehensive package of professional development resources that are appropriate for use in person and from a distance synchronously or asynchronously.

This project takes advantage of the potential of OER, combined with training and appropriate technological hardware, to support classroom technology integration that improves grades 7-12 student mathematics achievement and technological literacy. The professional development also fosters the creation and ongoing use of a statewide mathematics learning network. Through participation in this project, teachers will gain knowledge and skills related to:

The resources and professional development are responsive to district and state needs and appropriate research. The focus is on critical foundational skills for algebra in grades 7-12, including targeted rational number and key algebraic concepts. MLR: PEI indicators are included in Table 1.

Table 1. MLR: PEI Targeted Performance Indicators by Grade
MLR PEI: D. Algebra Symbols and Expressions Equations and Inequalities Functions and Relations
Performance Indicators
Grade 8
1, 2 2,3 4
Performance Indicators
Grade 9 - Diploma
1 2,3 4, 5

RSU #11 led the work for the grades 7 & 8 strand, and RSU #54 piloted the grades 7& 8 professional development. RSU #54 led the work for the grades 9-diploma strand, and RSU #11 teachers piloted the grades 9-12 professional development. EDC supported the development and facilitation of the professional development.


Evaluation.

The evaluation of the grant will be multi-tiered and include educator and student components. The staged development process of the in-person, synchronous, and asynchronous professional development incorporate various formative assessments used in the revision and refinement process. Participants of the in-person sessions were asked to complete an online survey prior to the in-person training. They were also asked to complete an end of day survey at the training and a follow-up survey two weeks after the training, once they have the opportunity to return to the classroom and apply the professional development to practice. This pre-post evaluation process was applied to each professional development format. The evaluation also includes an analysis of pre, post, and delayed post student assessment items for students that participate in the project activities and lessons. End of Project Report Summary (.pdf, 13MB)


Funding.

Funding for this project is through a U.S.A. No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) Title IID Enhancing Education Through Technology American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) competitive grant. The grant is to develop and provide professional development statewide for using open education resources to support the integration of technology in teaching and learning of Maine’s Learning Results: Parameters for Essential Instruction.


Other Projects of Interest.

The work in this project is informed by resources and work by the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI), project partners, and others. Links to some Web sites that may be of interest are included below. The below resources are NOT funded through this project grant and their inclusion here does not imply support or endorsement of this project by the organizations or individuals connected to the projects.


Licensing.

Resources and materials developed through this project are licensed under Creative Commons (CC) and are labeled as Open Educational Resources (OER). This Web site and project resources are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike 3.0 License. Contact Pam Buffington at pbuffington@edc.org with any questions about permissions and use.


Links

All links in this site have been checked; however, the Web is an ever-changing medium, and at times links can go down without our noticing. If you find a broken link WITHIN a reading or resource, only the owners of the website or article where the link is found can repair their own internal links. Report broken links on this Web page.

This resource was collaboratively designed by OER in Mathematics Professional Development Project partners from Maine RSU#54 & RSU#11 and staff from Education Development Center, Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike 3.0 License.