Integrating science, mathematics, and technology in middle school technology-rich environments: A study of implementation and change

School Science and Mathematics, Jan 2000 by James, Robert K, Lamb, Charles E, Bailey, Melynda A, Householder, Daniel L

During the fall of Year 2, interventions also included GTECH staff visits to all classrooms to ascertain whether HyperStudio was loaded and operational in their computers. Extensive coaching, technical assistance, and trouble shooting was provided by one of the co-Pls. The fall workshop centered on school teams sharing curriculum products developed as part of GTECH. At the winter workshop in the 2nd year, the proposed new state standards, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, were linked to GTECH goals and products. To support the integrating of mathematics, science, and technology, a web model for curriculum integration was presented and illustrated (Stuessy, Payne, Collins, Carnahan, & Malone, 1994).

The second administration of the SoCQ was done in the spring of the 2nd year. The results of that administration are also presented in Figure I (dashed line). While the overall profile remains that of a group of nonusers with high informational and personal concerns, it shows some resolution of informational, personal, and management concerns when compared with Year I data. In classroom visits with the teachers, it was observed that some were using GTECH materials and concepts. When GTECH staff examined individual profiles, they found that about a third of the teachers exhibited the expected profile of a new user - one in which management concerns are most intense. That only a third of the teachers might be users should not be a discouragement, because the primary focus has been on getting GTECH activity going in each school - not necessarily in every participant's classroom. School visits further revealed that often only one member of the team (usually the science teacher) was actually using the ideas developed by the other team members at that site. This suggested that subsequent staff development activities should be aimed at increasing use by all team participants and helping teachers begin to focus on the consequences of using GTECH - its impact on students.

The summer institute in Year 2 was designed to increase team use of the units and to focus teacher attention on a growing staff concern about the teams' failure to integrate mathematics into the units and into classroom practice. In response, the staff designed the second summer institute with a primary focus on integration of mathematics into the GTECH units and GTECH related instructional activities. To that end, time was devoted to planning, developing, and creating materials and units to be used in individual classrooms, as well as to be shared with colleagues involved in and outside of GTECH. At the end of the summer, the materials were compiled into a notebook, and copies were made available to all participants. While the institutes emphasized NCTM standards, teachers were encouraged to design/select activities according to their perceptions of what their students needed. The 1995 NCTM Yearbook, Connecting Mathematics Across the Curriculum, (House, 1995), was used as the textbook. Though the 3-week, three-credit institute was effective for those who attended, only a few GTECH teachers elected this activity. Those who did made progress toward the integration goal, but their small numbers failed to provide broad impact on the problem of integration into mathematics classrooms.