Long Island University

The Hellman Academy for Mathematics and Science Teacher Education Retraining (THA-MASTER)

Purpose of Project:

THA-MASTER is a model program for training experienced teachers from other disciplines as secondary school teachers of mathematics and physics. It is offered as a way of relieving the nationwide teacher shortage in these critical areas through recruitment and retraining, while simultaneously providing new career opportunities for faculty.

Innovative Features:

The curriculum for these teachers assumes little or no prior knowledge of math and physics. It reflects program philosophy that distinguishes between the preparation of a future teacher and the preparation of a future researcher. The retraining approximates the formal study of a traditional mathematics or physics major, using a series of graduate and refresher courses and workshops, and satisfies requirements for state certification and city licensure. Successful completion of the refresher courses is one of the entrance requirements.

Retraining programs, such as THA-MASTER, that develop expertise from other disciplines, have emerged as an innovative strategy for dealing with the teacher crisis. The relative ease of adapting this model to new settings and its success in producing competent science and math teachers has led one state to adapt the curriculum as its alternative certification. The pool of experienced teachers turned out to be a prime recruitment source of teachers in mathematics and science. The additional certified math and science teachers provided to the participants' home states attest to the program's impact.

Both NSF and FIPSE provided funds for retraining teachers and for testing the models at different sites. The program plan brought together representatives from the University, the State Education Department, the City Board of Education, and postsecondary mathematics educators. Long Island University, the home site, was originally funded to include three additional dissemination sites. When the field response greatly exceeded expectations, the number of sites was expanded to seven. Long Island University's project director functioned as liaison to each.

Evaluation:

Data were gathered from a variety of sources: pre- and post-tests of subject content and teacher attitudes; interviews with project staff, faculty, students, and sites directors; course evaluations; classroom observation visits; and monitoring of project activities.

Impact or Changes From Grant Activities:

At the home site of Long Island University, approximately 70% of the initial and later groups of teachers secured mathematics licenses from the New York City Board of Education, an indication that the program was successfully retraining certifiable teachers. Over the course of the program more than 200 students graduated and, of those, over 50% became certified and are now teaching mathematics or physics in their states. As a yearly average, 24% of those retrained teachers were minorities.

A 30-item math content test administered to one set of students before and after their course yielded highly significant results. (See Table 1.) According to a member of the New York Board of Examiners, THA-MASTER students performed well when compared with regularly trained mathematics teachers, and substantially better than those certified without benefit of the program. Beyond this, math examiners note there is no discernible difference between the program graduates and traditional math majors on written examinations.

At all the sites, teachers completed programs of preparation for certification. Trenton State College's math retraining program attracted 36 teachers; of these, 22 completed the program and have or will receive certification. As a parallel development, the College's curriculum to retrain teachers in mathematics was evaluated against the seven standards set by the National Association of State Departments of Teacher Education and Certification. Those stringent standards require demonstrated competence in knowledge and understanding of the basic concepts of algebra, geometry, analytic geometry and calculus, probability, statistics, and modern algebra; in mathematical vocabulary and symbols; in number concepts and computational algorithms; in the intellectual and philosophical natures of mathematics and methods; in the application of models to applied problems; in solving problems involving the application of math concepts and principles; and in using calculators and computers in math applications and computer language for writing programs. All seven standards as applied to Trenton's program were found to be fully met.

At Arizona State University, the program began with 32 participants and ended with 19. Comparisons between pre-test and post-test scores on mathematics cogent tests showed a marked increase in their level of performance, significant at the 0.01 level. All but three of these students are now working as full-time mathematics teachers in the Arizona school system. Districts will be asked to make the following comparisons to uncover any performance improvements:

• Between students of those teachers who participated in the program and students of these same teachers in pre-program years:
• Between students of those teachers and past students in the entire district; and
• Between students of those teachers and students in the entire district in the same year.

At Beaver College, 13 of 17 teachers completed the program; of those, seven have taken positions teaching mathematics. Pre and post-content tests of program participants showed measurable increases in mathematical knowledge. As a result of participation in THA-MASTER, the College has received $300,000 in grants from the state and the school district of Philadelphia to work on upgrading the training of certified teachers of mathematics and chemistry.

At the Texas Woman's University, 20 out of 25 students completed the project and are teaching in the Dallas-Fort Worth school systems. And at Western Oregon State College, of 59 teachers, 29 attained basic or advanced math certification; the remaining students are either close to completing or have completed certification requirements.

The University of Northern Colorado ran a retraining program in physics. Student comprehension of the subject was measured using pre- and post-tests that had been standardized nationally for students completing one year of college-level physics. The pre-test scores for the 28 participants averaged below the 20th percentile of the national norm. Of the 28, 14 (50%) completed the program. Their post-test scores showed improvement, ranging from 30th-90th percentile, with three students remaining at the pre-test level.

In response to a questionnaire from the home site, 92% of the participants said they planned to teach mathematics as a result of the program, and 50% said they planned to continue graduate studies in math. They evaluated their courses highly and their faculty as outstanding. However, they did suggest changes to relieve the four-hour lectures and other program pressures. In the following year, then, course terms were extended, decreasing nightly lectures hours. Site directors were unanimous in their praise for the project and for the services received from Long Island University.

The program's design naturally established partnerships between participating universities and secondary schools, and between schools of education and math and science departments. Five awards for programs based upon THA-MASTER have been made to universities through funds under the Education for Economic Security Act. The New Jersey Department of Higher Education supported an additional site at Trenton State College.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education supported the program's continuation at Beaver College. And, as a result of THA-MASTER, Long Island University created the Institute for the Advancement of Mathematics and Science as part of the University College of Arts and Sciences, out of which the program operates.

What Activities Worked Unexpectedly?

The feasibility of conducting a cooperative program for improving preparation of mathematics and physics teachers between universities and neighboring school districts was easily confirmed. Project directors claim that the improvement of teaching and teachers is now seen by their universities and neighboring schools more as a collaborative effort than the sole responsibility of either.

Within universities, mathematics and science faculty began working together with colleagues in education. In one case, an educator was awarded a joint appointment with the mathematics department. As much as 15% of the teachers that came to the program were disenchanted with their current positions, but decided to remain in the profession because of the retraining opportunity.

Having districts select the teachers to be trained caused them to review the math and physics backgrounds of their system teachers and their teaching potential. School personnel became aware of the need to upgrade their teaching faculties and become more knowledgeable about certification requirements and standards.

What Activities Didn't Work?

One of the evaluator's reports noted that the three paramount problems facing the dissemination sites were student recruitment, retention, and financial aid. For example, at one institution, a competing tuition-free program offered by the public schools in that community has attracted many of the students that made up its natural pool, forcing it to discontinue THA-MASTER.

At another site, even though 13 students became certified to teach math, failure to adhere to even the broadest outlines of the THA-MASTER model resulted in termination of the project.

What Do You f Have To Send Others And How Do They Get It?

THA-MASTER can provide the following information and services to all interested parties, including rural, urban, suburban and special interest groups: course descriptions, videotapes, dissemination techniques, evaluation materials, networking contacts, speakers, consultants, technical assistance, and staff development.

For information and available services through THA-MASTER, write to:
Madeleine J. Long, Director
Institute for the Advancement of Mathematics and Science
Long Island University-Brooklyn Campus
1 University Plaza
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-403-1056

Cost Effectiveness:

Several sites (Beaver and Arizona State) either reduced tuition or charged none for student participation in the program. Some occasionally absorbed the costs of needed facilities and of secretarial services and supplies.

What Has Happened To The Program Since The Grant Ended?

The number of dissemination sites now exceeds the three originally projected. Currently, the math or physics program is being offered at the following colleges, universities, and schools:
Arizona State University
Beaver College
Portland Maine public schools
Texas Woman's University
Trenton State College
Western Oregon State College
University of Northern Colorado
Long Island University (Home-site)

THA-MASTER has become a permanent part of the mathematics graduate programs at three of these institutions: Texas Woman's University, Trenton State College and the University of Northern Colorado.

Even though there have been minor casualties along the way, generally, the model's adaptability has been tested and shown to transfer successfully to 'different sites. As noted, all dissemination sites have or will be having graduates, many of whom have been fully certified to teach math or physics in their states.

Other signs that these sites plan to institutionalize their programs are evident in graduate catalogues and budget designations. In addition, several sites hope to apply the model to additional disciplines of chemistry, earth science and biology. The current sites have raised in excess of a half million dollars to continue the effort begun under FIPSE funding. The universities and school systems of Puerto Rico have shown special interests in dissemination.

Within the first two project years alone, 150 dissemination inquiries were received. These inquiries are still coming in from state education departments and universities. Project staff recently advised math and science educators in Australia about adapting the program and raising funds for its implementation.

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