Integrated Development and Assessment of Mathematical Modeling Practices for Culturally Responsive STEM Education: Lionfish Case Study

Year 2018, Volume: 9 , 1 - 10, 18.08.2018

Celil Ekici Chris Plyley Cigdem Alagoz Risa Gordon Nora Santana

Abstract

Real-world
problems often demand interdisciplinary solutions, and thus provide
opportunities for cross-disciplinary instruction and learning within the
mathematical sciences and STEM fields. Building on the vision of The
Mathematical Sciences in 2025 (National Research Council, 2013) and with the
motivation to prepare the students of the 21st century, interdisciplinary
teacher teams are created to work together with students, university faculty,
and community experts, towards building instruction around solving problems on
locally relevant STEM challenges. The goal of this research program is to
provide equitable access to quality STEM instruction for all students while
using culturally responsive practices. Since 2014, with support from the
National Science Foundation, in-service STEM teachers, students, and university
faculty have been participating in year-long professional learning community
(PLC) activities on STEM projects around culturally relevant topics such as
lionfish population dynamics and control, water quality, and green home design.
Based on the emerging local best practices with PLCs around interdisciplinary
projects, these PLCs support the development of interdisciplinary knowledge and
practices by students, teachers and the community for learning mathematical
sciences and STEM, both in and out of school settings. Using the case of the
lionfish project as an exemplar for culturally responsive STEM projects, we
discuss how focused professional development sessions for teachers on the
mathematical and scientific modeling of lionfish population dynamics and
control using discrete, continuous and statistical methods furthered this
development.  

Keywords

Mathematical modeling, Assessment, Culturally responsive stem education, Project based learning, Professional learning communities, Interdisciplinary mathematical and scientific practices

References

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