Algebridge Action Research

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AlgebridgeAction Research

• By Sharon Shrader and Melanie Miller

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• Algebra is the
• fork in the road
• where one direction leads to opportunity
• and the other to
• limited options for further education and
  promising careers.
• Ross Taylor in NCTMs
• Algebra for Everyone

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• People who dont understand Algebra today
• are like those people who
• couldnt read or write
• in the industrial age.
• Robert P. Moses

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9th Grade Passing Rate Algebra I Standard,
Honors, Gifted2001-2002
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Middle School Algebra IHonors Enrollment
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U. S. Performance on TIMSS

• 4th grade above average
• 8th grade below average
• 12th grade 3rd from the bottom
• 12th grade advanced near the bottom

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A Countries
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Curricula in the U. S.

• Content is
• not focused
• highly repetitive
• not demanding
• incoherent

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Inequity in Prior Knowledge

• Learning requires background knowledge
• Lack of academic commonality
• Slows whole class
• Holds back disadvantaged students

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Socioeconomic Factors

• Explain about 40 of variation of students test
  scores in U. S.
• Explain less than 20 of variation of student
  test scores in A countries

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What can we do?

• Pinellas County summer program
• Proven to be a success
• Helps both teachers and students

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Who?

• Teachers
• From our feeder middle schools
• Teaching 8th or 7th grade
• Students
• Incoming 9th graders to Lyman
• C math students
• Minorities or low socioeconomic background
• Never enrolled in Algebra I

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Where and When?

• Lyman
• June 24 28, 2002
• From 830 AM until 1200 PM

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Incentives?

• Students
• TI-83 Plus graphing calculator
• Algebra to Go
• Teachers
• TI-83 Plus Silver Edition for Overhead
• Stipends
• Algebra to Go Teacher Resource Guide

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Curriculum?

• Graphical algebraic sense
• NCTMs Navigating Through Algebra
• Use of graphing calculator
• TI activities
• Recognizing patterns
• NCTM
• Hands on Activities
• From PBS TeacherSource
• Power Notes and CRISS Strategies

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Teacher Results from Survey

• Liked Best
• Student/teacher interaction
• Activities
• Sharing session at the end
• Strategies Modeled
• Liked Least
• Too Short
• Test taking

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Teacher Pre and Post Test Results

• Average increase of 37.8

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Student Survey Results

• Liked Best
• TI-83 Plus
• Activities
• Working with teachers as classmates
• Liked Least
• Too early
• Waiting until Friday to take the TI-83 home
• Writing
• Got lost on TI-83
• Too short

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Pre and Post Test Results
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1st Semester Grades in Algebra I

• 6 Bs
• 2 Cs
• 2 Ds
• 1 withdrew

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Fall Algebridge

• Who?
• Teachers
• Lyman Algebra 1 Teachers
• Students
• Minority or low socioeconomic background
• Average Algebra I students

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• Incentives and Curriculum
• Same as Summer Algebridge
• Where and When
• Lyman
• Saturday mornings
• 800 am to 1130 am for students and teachers

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Teacher Results

• Incomplete data

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Student Pre and Post Test Results
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Fall 1st Semester Grades

• 2 As
• 5 Bs (6)
• 7 Cs (2)
• 3 Ds (2)
• 3 Fs

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Lessons Learned

• Who?
• Include 6th grade teachers
• Must contact students prior to Algebridge as
  reminder

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Lessons Learned

• Where and When
• Not on Saturdays during the school year
• In July
• Extend teacher day
• Afternoon for curriculum work

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Lessons Learned

• Incentives
• No overhead graphing calculator for teachers
• Add manipulatives for teachers

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Lessons Learned

• Curriculum
• Add GroundWorks with manipulative use

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Questions to Investigate

• Would mentoring or follow up with students make a
  difference?
• Could this be a model for other feeder patterns?