Abstract 0445398
The proposal submitted by the partnership of Horizon
Research, Inc. (HRI) and the Education Development Center (EDC) is a five-year
project, which collects, evaluates, codifies and disseminates MSP-relevant
knowledge to current and future MSP awardees and others. The work contributes
to the MSP Learning Network collaborating with Research Evaluation and
Technical Assistance projects and other MSPs, capitalizing upon their
efforts and locating additional existing research relevant to MSP work.
The project makes use of teams of consultants with expertise in (1)
teacher education including recruitment, preservice, and inservice professional
development; (2) mathematics and science curriculum both K-12 and higher
education; (3) equity and diversity; (4) institutionalization of large-scale
reform; (5) research methodology; and (6) knowledge management.
An external
Advisory Committee provides oversight for the project including "auditing"
the criteria used to identify screen and critique the research and assess
the resulting research reviews and associated tools.
The first year of
the project is devoted to planning.
Intellectual Merit:
Using
a three stage model of knowledge management (Nevis, DiBella and Gold,
1995) the project attends to knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing
and knowledge utilization. The project locates existing work relevant
to MSP projects; analyzing studies to identify findings based upon methodologically
sound-quantitative and qualitative research noting the apparent generalizability
of these findings and sharing the results in forms that are accessible
to current and future MSP awardees.
An important component of the proposed
work is to conduct research on "knowledge management" studying how MSP's
make use of research-based knowledge and tools to inform the design, implementation,
and evaluation of their mathematics and science education reform initiatives.
The results of this research are useful to MSP projects and the broader
field.
Broader Impact:
The materials are made readily available
to (1) leaders of current MSP's; (2) developers of prospective MSP projects;
and (3) MSP state coordinators who develop solicitations for MSP Programs
supported by the US Department of Education. The reviews of extant research,
results of interviews with MSP project leaders, case studies of MSP efforts
in chosen areas and tools to help leaders apply findings to their initiatives
are posted on MSPNet.
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