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Evaluation Methods Behind Seeing Math™

student using pencil to solve math problemIn late 2000, the U.S. Department of Education awarded a grant to The Concord Consortium to study the use of the Internet to deliver professional development resources to elementary and middle school math teachers. The grant launched a rigorous research and development project that culminated in the creation of Seeing Math™ Elementary.

Over the past several years, The Concord Consortium has used scientifically based evaluation methods to assess whether the project produces meaningful effects on student achievement or teacher performance. Together with the independent evaluation firm Edcentric, we have collected and analyzed data from pilot school implementations of Seeing Math™ Elementary (SME) across the country to:

  • Evaluate the quality and usefulness of project materials and strategies.
  • Research the effect and impact of the Seeing Math™ materials.

The research analyzed:

  • Quantitative data, such as pre- and post-course test scores of participating teachers as well as student performance on standardized tests.
  • Qualitative data gathered from surveys and interviews.

Findings from pilot schools during the 2003-2004 school year indicated that Seeing Math™ Elementary had a significant impact on both content and pedagogy gains for participating teachers and improvements in student achievement:

  • 85% of participating teachers stated that Seeing Math™ Elementary influenced how they teach.
  • Test scores demonstrated improvements in teacher content mastery.
  • Data indicated an overall increase in student performance on standardized tests.

In late 2003, when initial findings demonstrated the benefit and effectiveness of the program's content and approach, The Concord Consortium was awarded additional funds to pursue the research and development of a similar professional development program — Seeing Math™ Secondary (SMS) — aimed at secondary school algebra teachers.

Research related to Seeing Math™ Secondary began in the spring of 2004. Early qualitative research by Edcentric into the perceived value of videos, interactive software, online discussions, and general content showed that a majority of pilot participants found all of these to be extremely valuable.

Final reports for both Seeing Math™ Elementary and Seeing Math™ Secondary demonstrate the continuing and increasing positive impact of project materials on the success of teachers and their students.

  • Significant differences between gains for treatment and control teachers offer evidence that participation in SME can provide teachers with relevant new learnings in a number of different content and pedagogic areas (Edcentric, 2005, p. iv).
  • As a result of taking the SMS course modules, a mathematically well-prepared sample of teachers was found to learn primarily in pedagogy as opposed to specific content areas (Edcentric and Hezel Associates, 2005, p. v).

The extensive research, refinement and testing of the Seeing Math™ projects provides teachers, schools and districts assurance that the program is built on a solid foundation of effective content and proven instructional strategies.

About Seeing Math™

About The Concord Consortium

Evaluation Methods Behind Seeing Math™

Philosophy Behind Seeing Math™

Research Behind Seeing Math™

People Behind Seeing Math™

Seeing Math Partners

Teachscape

PBS TeacherLine

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