Opportunities for Research in Public Service Projects

1
Opportunities for Research in Public Service
Projects

• E. Ray Phillips, Ph.D.
• Director
• Tennessee Mathematics, Science and Technology
  Education Center
• October 21, 2005

2
Some Observations

• Public Service/Outreach related research
• Quantitative (quasi-exp.) or Qualitative.
• Environment/conditions for the study often set.
• Not as strong and generalizable results as exp.
  designs.
• Studies difficult to replicate.
• Weight of the evidence important.
• Had some luck at getting external funding.
• Had some experience doing public service/outreach
  research.
• Part of a team at USF that developed the Florida
  State Assessment Program (math), CLAST and the
  Florida Certification Exam.

3
Observations Contd

• Directed several students doctoral
  dissertations.
• Im not an educational measurement and research
  specialist.
• Im a mathematics educator interested in research
  related to the teaching and learning of math/sci.
  
• Not going to try to teach a class on research.
• Since I dont know exactly what should be
  discussed in this session, Im going to talk
  mainly about my experience related to public
  service, outreach and/or instruction.

4
Choosing a Good Research Question

• Answer important questions local, national
• Answer questions that verify, justify or add
  creditability to your project.
• Answer questions raised by those requesting your
  service.
• Answer questions that have the potential of
  resulting in presentations or publications.

5
Relationship Between PD and Student Learning
Choosing a Good Research Question
6
Measuring Effect of PD on Student Achievement
Key NCEij NCE of jth student in teacher
is class BNCE NCE for students in teachers
current classes before pd BPNCE the
previous years NCE for these students ANCE
NCE for students in teachers current classes
after pd APNCE the previous years NCE for
these students
7
Data Collection

• Use data banks
• Administer tests (standardized or investigator
  developed)
• Make observations
• Conduct interviews/questionnaires
• Review lesson plans, teaching portfolios, log
  books, etc.
• Self-reporting

8
Funding Sources

• Unit for which service is being provided.
• State Dept. of Education
• THEC
• U.S. Dept. of Education
• NSF
• NASA
• Professional Organizations (NASSMC, College
  Board)
• Foundations
• Corporations

9
Dissemination of Results

• Presentations at Conferences of Professional
  Organizations
• Local and state (often important to the client).
• Regional, National and International (important
  to client, real important to university faculty)
• Discipline Organization
• MAA NCTM AMS
• AAAS NSTA NCSE
• SSMA ICME EMS
• PME PME-NA NABT

10
Dissemination of Results

• Presentations at Conferences of Professional
  Organizations
• Local and state (often important to the client).
• Regional, National and International (important
  to client, real important to university faculty)
• Education Organization
• AERA American Educational Research Association
• ATE Association of Teacher Educators
• ASCD Association for Supervision and Curriculum
  Development
• NSDC National Staff Development Council
• ITEA International Technology Education Assoc.
• NMSA National Middle School Association

11
Dissemination of Results

• Publications in Professional Journals
• Local and state (often important to the client).
• Regional, National and International (important
  to client, real important to university faculty)
• All of the organizations listed, and many more,
  have scholarly journals that will publish
  manuscripts reporting public service, outreach or
  instruction related research.

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Some Examples of Journals

• Journal of Educational Research
• Journal for Research in Mathematics Education
• Journal of Staff Development
• Teaching and Teacher Education
• Journal of Research in Science Teaching
• Journal of Research and Development in Education
• School Science and Mathematics
• Journal of Educational Psychology
• The Mathematical Monthly
• College Mathematics Journal
• Cognition and Instruction
• Research in Science and Technology

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Some Examples

• Presentations
• Phillips, E. R. Kimmins, D. (2005). Theory to
  practice Improving teacher improvement. Fourth
  Annual Tennessee LEAD Conference, Nashville.
• Kimmins, D. Phillips, E. R. (2002).
  Investigating the effectiveness of collaborative
  staff development partnerships. Pathways to
  Change International Conference of Transforming
  Mathematics and Science Education in the K-16
  Continuum. Arlington, VA.
• Lichtenberg, D. R. Phillips, E. R. (1992). A
  survey concerning undergraduate geometry courses
  taken by prospective secondary teachers in
  selected colleges and universities in the U. S.
  Annual meeting of the Mathematical Association of
  America. Baltimore.

14
Some Examples

• Presentations
• Spector, B. S. Phillips, E. R. (1990).
  Restructing inservice science and mathematics
  teacher education USF Graduate Program of
  Excellence for Mathematics and Science Teachers.
  Annual International Conference on
  Science/Technology Education, Hiroshima, Japan.
• Phillips, E. R. (1988). Effective inservice for
  elementary school teachers A summer mathematics
  institute. Annual meeting of The National Council
  of States on Inservice Education. New Orleans.
• Jackson, M. B. Phillips, E. R. (1983). The
  effect of vocabulary-oriented mathematics
  instruction on learning seventh-grade
  pre-algebra. Annual meeting of The American
  Educational Research Association, Montreal.

15
Some Examples

• Publications
• Kimmins, D. Phillips, E. R. (2002).
  Investigating the effectiveness of collaborative
  staff development partnerships. Proceedings of
  Pathways to Change International Conference of
  Transforming Mathematics and Science Education in
  the K-16 Continuum.
• Phillips, E. R. Greabell, L. C. (1990). A
  summer mathematics institute for elementary
  teachers Development, implementation, and
  follow-up. School Science and Mathematics, 90,
  134-141.
• Phillips, E. R. Greabell, L. C. (1987). A
  collaborative model for non-traditional graduate
  teacher education. National Issues in Higher
  Education, 28, 191-202.

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Some Examples

• Publications
• Jackson, M. B. Phillips, E. R. (1983).
  Vocabulary instruction in ratio and proportion
  for seventh graders. Journal for Research in
  Mathematics Education,14,337-343.
• Phillips, E. R. Uprichard. A. E. (1983).
  Investigating variables related to sex
  differences in students ability to solve word
  problems in algebra. Focus on Learning Problems
  in Mathematics, 5, 47-61.
• Uprichard, A. E. Phillips, E. R. (1976).
  Intraconcept analysis of rational number
  addition A validation study. Journal for
  Research in Mathematics Education, 8, 7-16.
• Phillips, E. R. Kane, R. B. (1973). Validating
  learning hierarchies for sequencing mathematical
  tasks in elementary school mathematics. Journal
  for Research in Mathematics Education, 4,
  141-151.