EDITORS NOTE: This release contains dated information of importance to teachers in your coverage area.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A mathematics course specially designed for practicing Alabama elementary and middle school teachers who need to fulfill the national “No Child Left Behind” requirements to become highly qualified teachers will be offered by The University of Alabama this spring.

UA’s College of Education and College of Arts and Sciences will offer the course thanks to a NCLB State Level Activities grant from the Alabama State Department of Education.

The course will be offered during the spring semester. The dateline for registration is Dec. 19, and teachers should contact Dr. Cristina Gomez, UA assistant professor of elementary education programs, for further details. Gomez can be reached by phone at 205/348-3248 or by e-mail at cgomez@bama.ua.edu.

“Our aim is to pilot a course this spring that will significantly improve math teachers’ content knowledge and, in turn, teaching effectiveness with the hope that this kind of course becomes a regular part of math teacher preparation for our schools,” said Gomez, whose research specialization is in the area of professional development in math education.

Gomez is working in partnership with Dr. Cecelia Laurie and Dr. Wei Shen Hsia, professors of mathematics, to design the course entitled Data Analysis and Statistics for Practicing Teachers. The course has two main goals, to improve teacher knowledge of statistical ideas and to support teachers in the process of understanding children’s ideas related to statistical concepts. The course will include exploration activities, reflections on practice, using dynamic software, planning and teaching lessons, and sharing experiences with colleagues.

According to Laurie, data analysis and statistics involve concepts used everyday to make decisions. “An understanding of them is vital to being an informed citizen,” she said.

“Data analysis and statistics is an important problem solving tool. Teachers need a deep understanding of the topics in order to prepare our children for the modern world,” said Hsia.

This course is part of a larger UA initiative to improve teacher content knowledge of mathematics in the elementary education program. Laurie, Gomez, and Hsia have been working together to create a sequence of mathematics courses that will provide future teachers with a deep understanding of concepts specific to elementary mathematics. The courses also meet the recommendations from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. The complete sequence of three courses will be offered in the fall of 2004.

“The University of Alabama takes very seriously its responsibility to assist Alabama teachers in meeting the requirements to become highly qualified as defined by the national No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The collaboration between the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education will give teachers the mathematics courses they need to meet requirements, and we will continue to collaborate across academic units to benefit teacher education,” said Dr. Robert Olin, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.