INTEGRATED MATH, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE MIDDLE GRADES
This study will investigate the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary approach to teaching math, science, and technology, compared to a traditional disciplinary approach. The study will be conducted at a middle school in Tallahassee, Florida. Site demographics include percentages of African American and economically disadvantaged students above the district and state averages. A modified version of the Integrated Math, Science, and Technology (IMaST; Center for Mathematics, Science and Technology, 2004) curriculum will be the treatment condition. It will involve cross-disciplinary alignment among teachers and extensive use of applied learning activities and problem solving with the students. The comparison condition will be the business-as-usual math and science curricula (Glencoe). Math/science teacher teams will be the unit of assignment. In the within-subjects research design, instructional approaches will alternate each quarter. Student outcomes will include measures of math and science achievement, problem solving and higher-order thinking, and motivation and attitudes toward math and science. Growth trajectories will be used to determine if greater gains at each time point are associated with either instructional approach.
The following document provides more information
about this study and was developed for discussion at the International
Advisory Board meeting in February, 2008. The document can be downloaded
in Word document and PDF form.
IMAST.doc
IMAST.pdf