National Conference on Doctoral Programs in Mathematics Education

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National Conference on Doctoral Programs in
Mathematics Education

• Kansas City, MO
• September 23-26, 2007

Supported by the National Science Foundation
Award No. ESI-0333879
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National Conference on Doctoral Programs in
Mathematics Education

• 150 participants
• 90 U.S. Colleges/Universities
• 4 international guests

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States Represented at Conference (40)
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Conference Participants

• mathematics departments and colleges of
  education
• private institutions and public institutions
• large established doctoral programs and new
  programs just getting started
• seasoned faculty and faculty who have long
  careers ahead
• 75 participants attended the first conference
  (1999)
• 21 participants from 1999 are at this conference

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Support from NSF

• 1999 Conference - Lake Ozark, MO
• NSF Program Officer - Skip Fennell
• 2007 Conference - Kansas City, MO
• NSF Program Officer - Spud Bradley

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Conference Advisory Panel

• John Dossey, Illinois State University
• Jim Fey, University of Maryland
• Jim Lewis, University of Nebraska
• Vena Long, University of Tennessee
• Sid Rachlin, East Carolina University
• Barbara Reys, University of Missouri
• Jim Wilson, University of Georgia
• Doctoral Student Members
• Kate Ulrich, University of Georgia
• Dawn Teuscher Nevels Nevels, University of
  Missouri

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A brief history of doctoral production in
mathematics education

• First doctorates in mathematics education
• 1906 Teachers College Columbia University
• 1915 University of Chicago
• Production of doctorates (according to the NRC
  Annual Data)
• 1970 128 doctorates, 44 institutions
• 1980 74 doctorates, 35 institutions
• 1990 65 doctorates, 31 institutions
• 2000 90 doctorates, 51 institutions
• Source
• Summary Reports of Doctorate Recipients from
  United States Universities
• prepared by National Opinion Research Center,
  University of Chicago

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Growth in the Number of Doctoral Programs
(1960-present)
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Production of Doctorates in Mathematics
Education (1960-present)
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Recent Production of Doctorates in Mathematics
Education
Year Number of different institutions awarding doctorates Number of doctorates
1999-2000 51 90
2000-2001 36 80
2001-2002 49 88
2002-2003 39 80
2003-2004 53 91
2004-2005 53 89
Total 115 518
Of these institutions, 40 had only one graduate
in 6 years
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Doctorates Programs in Mathematics
EducationSome Facts

• Many doctoral programs are small (in terms of
  number of graduates).
• The number of institutions with doctoral programs
  is increasing.
• The number of graduates of doctoral programs has
  not changed significantly in the past 15 years.
• While there has been a steady increase in the
  number of graduates from underrepresented groups
  (African American and Hispanic), these groups
  continue to be underrepresented in doctoral
  programs in mathematics education.

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Since the 1st Conference (1999) on Doctoral
Programs in Mathematics Education

• Publication of One Field, Many Paths U. S.
  Doctoral Programs in Mathematics Education

2001 AMTE Website posting of PhD programs
2002 Principles to Guide the Design and
Implementation of Doctoral Programs
in Mathematics Education
2002 Joint Position Statement on Doctoral
Programs in Mathematics Education (NCTM
and AMTE)
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One Field, Many Paths . .

• Improving complex systems is a continuing
  process that yields small changes over time. But
  those changes can accumulate to yield lasting and
  fundamental improvements rather than quick and
  temporary fixes. We believe that it is important
  for the mathematics education community to take
  the initiative and begin a rational long-term
  process of improving its programs for training
  coming generations of doctoral students.
• Hiebert, Kilpatrick, Lindquist, p. 159

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One Field, Many Paths . .

• Assess initial conditions
• Set goals
• Develop plans for moving toward goals
• Document share improvement efforts

• Pointed out special challenges facing
  improvement
• Absence of standards/regulations
• Diversity of institutional programs

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Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators
(AMTE)

• Created a place for institutions with doctoral
  programs to provide information about programs.
• Currently more than 50 institutions have posted
  information.
• Check the website at http//www.amte.net
• (click on PhD Programs)

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Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators
(AMTE)

• Principles to Guide the Design and
  Implementation of Doctoral Programs in
  Mathematics Education (2002)
• Core knowledge areas in mathematics education
• Mathematics Learning
• Curriculum Research
• Technology Assessment
• Teaching and teacher education
• Historical, social, political economic
  context
• Institutional capacities needed to deliver a
  program

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Joint Position Statement (2002)

• NCTM and AMTE developed and published a joint
  position statement on doctoral programs in
  mathematics education.
• A high-quality doctoral program comprises more
  than a set of courses and a dissertation.
  Doctoral programs in mathematics education must
  have a critical mass of faculty with expertise in
  mathematics education to provide program
  leadership research opportunities and
  supervised experiences in collegiate teaching,
  proposal writing, and publication preparation.
  Equally important is the environment fostered
  within an institution where students and faculty
  learn, work, and interact to create support and
  respect for diverse identities related to
  culture, ethnicity, race, religion, gender,
  sexual orientation, and exceptionalities.

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Signs of progress

• NSF issued a call for proposals to establish
  centers in mathematics and science education to
  strengthen/increase production of doctorates.
• Mid-Atlantic Center of Mathematics Teaching and
  Learning Funded (University of Maryland,
  University of Delaware, Penn State University).
• 2000-05 NSF funded 7 additional Centers for
  Learning and Teaching focused on mathematics
  education.

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CLTs Focused on Mathematics Education

• Appalachian Collaborative Center for Learning,
  Assessment and Instruction in Mathematics
  (ACCLAIM)
• University of Tennessee, University of
  Louisville, University of Kentucky, Ohio
  University, University of West Virginia
• Center for the Mathematics Education of Latinos
  (CEMELA)
• University of Arizona, University of New Mexico,
  University of California-Santa Cruz,
  University of Illinois-Chicago
• Center for Teaching and Learning in the West
  (CLT-West)
• Montana State University, University of Montana,
  Colorado State University,
  University of Northern Colorado, Portland State
  University
• Center for Proficiency in Teaching Mathematics
  (CPTM)
• University of Georgia, University of Michigan
• Center for the Study of Mathematics Curriculum
  (CSMC)
• University of Missouri, Michigan State
  University, University of Western Michigan,
  University of Chicago
  
• Diversity in Mathematics Education (DIME)
• University of Wisconsin, University of
  California-Berkeley, University of California-Los
  Angeles, Vanderbilt University
• Mid-Atlantic Center for Mathematics Teaching and
  Learning (MAC-MTL)
• University of Maryland, University of Delaware,
  Penn State University
• Center for Mathematics in Americas Cities (Metro
  Math)
• Rutgers University, University of Pennsylvania,
  City University of New York

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Centers for Learning and Teaching
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Other Significant Efforts

• 2001 Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID)
• 2006 Envisioning the Future of Doctoral
  Education
• Preparing Stewards of the Discipline

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Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate

• Studies from the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s report
  that conventional doctoral programs do not meet
  the needs of students, employers, and society.
  (p. 5)

Many Ph.D recipients are ill-prepared to function
effectively in their work.
Women and ethnic minorities are underrepresented
among doctoral students.
Doctoral student attrition in many departments
approach or even exceeds 50.
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Stewardship the Ph.D.

• The Ph.D. is expected to serve as a steward of
  her discipline or profession, dedicated to the
  integrity of its work in the generation,
  critique, transformation, transmission, and use
  of its knowledge.
• (Golde Walker, 2006, p. 122)

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CID asked essayists If you start de novo how
would you structure a doctoral program in your
field?

• Education
• Virginia Richardson, Chair of Educational
  Studies, University of Michigan--Stewarts of a
  Field, Stewards of an Enterprise The Doctorate
  in Education
• David Berliner, Regents Professor of Psychology
  in Education and Educational Leadership and
  Policy Studies, Arizona State University--
  Toward a Future as Rich as our Past

• Mathematics
• Hyman Bass, Roger Lyndon Collegiate Professor of
  Mathematics, University of Michigan--Developing
  Scholars and Professionals The Case of
  Mathematics
• Tony Chan, Dean of Physical Sciences and
  Professor of Mathematics, UCLA--A Time for
  Change? The Mathematics Doctorate

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Shared concerns about PhD programs

• Shorten time to complete PhD.

• Develop more diversity among PhD recipients.

• Increase doctoral students exposure to technology.

• Improve writing and communication skills.

• Prepare doctoral students for a wider variety of
  options than the professoriate.

• Make interdisciplinary work a more integral part
  of doctoral education.

Re-envisioning the PhD--Carnegie Initiative on
Doctorates
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Who should lead the way?

• Universities rename, but dont redesign. p. 33

There is no shortage of ideas about what we need
to change. We have to decide whether or not we
want to change. p. 121
It is vital to actively engage doctoral students
and recent Ph.D.s in the process of reform.
They are tomorrows stewards. p. 60
The real lynchpin of graduate program reform is
to be found in the generation in between the
graduate students and senior faculty. Untenured
faculty and recently tenured associate professors
represent the best hope for sustained and
meaningful reform. p. 43
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Two recent reports with implications for
doctoral programs

• 2007 Using Statistics Effectively in
  Mathematics
• Education Research
  
• American Statistical Association
• 2007 Educating Researchers
• Education Schools Project

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http//www.amstat.org/research_grants/pdfs/SMERRep
ort.pdf
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• The Education Schools Project
• http//www.edschools.org/

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Educating Researchers

• Lack of agreement on what constitutes good
  research and how to prepare researchers. p. 5

Programs for the preparation of researchers and
the education of practitioners generally look
very much alike. (p. 37)
Many faculty advising doctoral students lack the
skills, knowledge and expectations necessary to
mentor students in preparing a substantial piece
of research. p.55
Recommendation--Establish high and clearly
defined standards for education research and
doctoral preparation in research close doctoral
programs that do not meet those standards. p.75
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Reports Prepared for this Conference

• Doctoral Production in Mathematics Education in
  the
• United States 1960-2005
• Doctoral Programs in Mathematics Education in the
  
• United States 2007 Status Report
• Report of a 2007 Survey of U. S. Doctoral
  Students in
• Mathematics Education

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Some things learned from survey of 70 doctoral
programs

• About Faculty
• Number of faculty members per program ranged from
  2 to 19.
• Mathematics education faculty have their academic
  home in
• mathematics departments at six institutions.
• Over one-half (55) of faculty are tenured.
• 1/3 of the institutions reported they had at
  least one unfilled
• position in mathematics education

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Some things learned from survey of 70 doctoral
programs

• About program
• Admission requirements vary greatly
• Some require teaching experience--others do not.
• Some require K-12 teaching experiences-others do
  not.
• Some require a BS or MS in mathematics-others do
  not.
• Course work beyond BS required for doctorate
  ranges from
• 80 to 120 semester hours.
• There is no core mathematics education course
  work
• required by all institutions.
• Largest block of core courses across institutions
  was in
• educational research/statistics.
• Research stipends for doctoral students ranged
  from
• 11,000 to 15,000 per academic year.

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Some things learned from survey of 70 doctoral
programs

• Changing nature of programs
• About 50 reported no changes in their doctoral
  program
• in mathematics education in the last 5 years.
• About 50 reported their doctoral program
  experiencing
• continuous change.
• Over 70 were Very Familiar or Somewhat Familiar
  with
• AMTE Principles . . .
• Over 75 were Very Familiar or Somewhat Familiar
  with
• One Field, Many Paths . . .
• Majority of doctoral programs undergoing change
  credited
• Principles and/or One Field as influencing the
  changes.

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Some things learned from survey of 111 doctoral
students

• Interesting tidbits
• More females are enrolled in doctoral programs
  (66)
• K-12 teaching experience ranged from 0-31 years
  with
• an average of 5.6 years
• How are perspective students finding information
  about doctoral programs?
• 40 of doctoral students used the internet
• 25 of doctoral students used previous
  associations
• with a school
• 15 of doctoral students found their program
  through
• word of mouth from other students or faculty
  members

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Some things learned from survey of 111 doctoral
students

• Mathematics Preparation
• 18 of doctoral students will not have taken a
• mathematics course during their doctoral
  program
• Strengths and Weakness of Doctoral Programs from
  the students point of view
• Strength Collaboration with high quality and
  productive
• faculty members
• Weakness Lack of coursework in many areas
• (mathematics, mathematics education, and
  research)

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Where do doctoral graduates go? (The big
picture)
Glasgow, R. (2000). An investigation of recent
graduates of doctoral programs in mathematics
education, (Unpublished doctoral dissertation).
University of Missouri
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Where are the jobs?
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Percent of Hires
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Job Searches by Type of Institution
Department-2007
Type of Institution Mathematics Department School /College Education Joint Math/Ed Total
4-year BS only 9 2 0 11
BS/MS 30 13 0 43
Doctoral 25 49 2 74
Total 64 62 2 128
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Job Searches by Type of Institution Department
(successful searches)
Type of Institution Mathematics Department School /College Education Joint Math/Ed Total
4-year BS only 9 (7) 2 (1) 0 11 (8)
BS/MS 30 (24) 13 (6) 0 43 (30)
Doctoral 25 (11) 49 (29) 2 (0) 74 (40)
Total 64 (42) 62 (36) 2 (0) 128 (78)
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Looking for Recruiting for a job!
new faculty!
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National Conference on Doctoral Programs in
Mathematics Education

• Kansas City
• September 2007

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Primary Goal of the Conference

• Discuss issues and share strategies and products
  related to doctoral programs in mathematics
  education, including
• Core components of doctoral programs
• Developing leadership capacity
• Alternative ways of delivering doctoral programs
• Recruitment and support considerations

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Points to ponder during the conference

• Should there be a common core of courses for
  doctorates in mathematics education?

• Would creating a website to post syllabi for
  doctoral
• courses in mathematics education be helpful?

• Would a list of top tier research journals in
• mathematics education be useful?

• Would accreditation of doctoral programs advance
  
• our profession?

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Questions you will decide . . .

• In what ways can your doctoral program be
  improved?

Do you have the resources and will to make
changes?
Is now the time to do so?
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Reflections on Conference Discussions

• Jim Hiebert, University of Delaware
• Diana Lambdin, Indiana University
• Steve Williams, Brigham Young University