A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

APPLICATION NO :  R168A30024 APPLICANT      :  Massachusetts Department of Education                   Office for the Advancement of Math/Science                   350 Main Street                   Malden, Massachusetts 02148-5023 CONTACT PERSONS:  Gisele Zangori TELEPHONE      :  (617) 388-3300 ext. 301 AWARD TO DATE  :  $816,121 PROJECT PERIOD :  10/01/93-09/30/96 

Project PALMS (Partnerships Advancing Learning for Mathematics and Science) establishes partnerships with math and science teacher associations, school districts, colleges, science museums, industry, and others. The Eisenhower grant will support curriculum frameworks in mathematics and science which will allow further development of a continuous K-12 curricula that reflects hands-on, inquiry-based constructivist models of student learning, particularly for grades 9-12. The mathematics framework will closely follow NCTM standards (i.e., emphasis on problem solving, reasoning connections, and statistical outcomes). The science curriculum framework, inherently a more complex process, will move from a more traditional "layer-cake" approach to a more congruent and integrated format with a mixture of different sciences taught at all grades.

In year one of the grant, working groups of teachers (including high school teachers), scholars, mathematicians and scientists will review other state frameworks and begin to outline a draft framework, review feedback and suggest alternative examples of content that could be used by individual teachers and review drafts and consider implications for teacher preparation, dissemination by the state, and in-service training in both public and private sectors (and for special education).

In addition to the framework development efforts, the state will pilot a new two-step certification process for new teachers which will require a bachelor's degree for a provisional certificate and a masters's degree for full certification. PALMS' associated colleges will develop a training program for secondary school teachers that provides both depth and breadth in science plus adequate preparation in mathematics.

Finally, the grant will pilot in-service programs for grade 9-12 math and science specialists and help articulate the state's plans for teacher recertification every five years. This model of continuous professional development is an opportunity for teachers to expand their depth in a particular discipline, and at other times to add to their knowledge base in related disciplines (but always updating their pedagogical skills).

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