Bold Ventures Volume 1: Patterns Among U.S. Innovations in Science and Mathematics Education

by Raizen (Editor)

Overview

This book, based on detailed studies of eight innovations in mathematics and science education, has many insights to offer on current school reform. Since each innovation studied has taken its own unique approach, the set as a whole spans the spectrum from curriculum development to systemic reform, from con­ centrating on particular school populations to addressing all of K-12 education. Yet these reform projects share a common context, a world view on what mat­ ters in science and mathematics for students of the 1990s and beyond, convic­ tions about what constitutes effective instruction, and some notions about how school change can be brought about. These commonalities are drawn out in the book and illustrated with examples from the individual case studies that are reported in full in Bold Ventures, Volumes 2 and 3. The eight innovations-all of them projects that are well-known, at least by name, to U. S. audiences-are briefly described in chapter 1. Each was the sub­ ject of an in-depth, three-year case study. The research teams analyzed many documents, attended numerous project meetings, visited multiple sites, conduct­ ed dozens of individual interviews. The team leaders, having spent much time with mathematics or science education over long careers, looked at these reform projects through several lenses; the teams sifted through the mountains of data they had collected in order to tell the story of each project in rich detail.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780792342359
Publisher:	Springer Netherlands
Publication date:	04/02/1997
Series:	Bold Ventures
Edition description:	Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1997
Pages:	250
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.02(d)

Table of Contents

1. Study Background.- The International Project.- The U. S. Studies.- Methodology.- 2. The General Context for Reform.- Why Reform?.- Strategies for Reform.- Roles and Actors.- Dissemination and Definitions of Success.- Micro Forces Shaping Individual Projects.- 3. The Changing Conceptions of Science, Mathematics, and Instruction.- Changes in the Fields of Science and Mathematics.- Changes in School Science and Mathematics.- Operationalizing the Views of Science.- Operationalizing the Views of Mathematics.- Changing Conceptions of Teaching and Learning.- Who Owns School Science and Mathematics in the 1990s?.- 4. The Changing Roles of Teachers.- Traditional Roles of Teachers.- New Roles for Teachers.- Conclusion.- 5. The Changing Conceptions of Reform.- Lessons From Research and Experience.- Systemic Reform.- Standards as Goals for Reform.- Partnerships and Collaboration.- Dissemination Strategies.- Technology Issues.- 6. Underplayed Issues.- Assessment of Student Achievement.- Evaluation of the Innovation Itself.- Issues of Equity and Diversity.- Summary.- 7. Assessing the Implementation of Innovations in Mathematics and Science Education.- The Macro and Micro Innovations.- Tracing Enactments: First Steps.- Adoption of the Innovations.- Enactments: A Closer Look.- Assistance.- Student Perceptions.- Stabilization and Continuation.- Concluding Comments.- Coda: New Paths for Bold Ventures.- A Sobering Heritage of Reform.- Studying Bold Ventures in Real Time.- New Roles and Strategic Alliances.- Systems and Particle Clouds.- How Much Reform, Anyway?.- The Future of the Present.- References.