The project uses a longitudinal research design and will generate evidence that is descriptive [case study, design research, observational]. Original data are being collected on 24 undergraduate students who are prospective teachers (8 per summer) & 48 students in grades K-12 (16 per summer) using, assessments of learning, observation [videography], and survey research [self-completion questionnaire, semi-structured or informal interview]. Mathematics instruction is being designed to address the learning needs of children and will be adjusted on a week-by-week basis.
Various qualitative data sources used during this project's duration include transcripts of undergraduates' conversations about assigned readings and their scores on online training modules content assessments, video recordings of diagnostic interviews with K-12 students as well as all teaching sessions, and undergraduates' weekly and final summary reports on the progress of the K-12 students. The Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment (URSSA) is used at the end of the intensive summer experience to quantitatively analyze the impact of PATHWAYS on undergraduates' development as researchers. Opinion surveys are administered to PATHWAYS undergraduates, the K-12 students they instruct, and the parents of K-12 students to ascertain perceived strengths and weaknesses of the program. The long-term impact of the project is assessed through follow-up surveys inquiring about the graduation status and career goals of those who have completed the PATHWAYS experience.
During the summer, data from instructional sessions are analyzed on a continuous basis. Each week's analysis of video and student learning artifacts forms the basis for conjectures about how to help students' learning progress. Data collected at the end of each summer via questionnaires of undergraduates, faculty mentors, and parents will be analyzed qualitatively to identify strengths and weaknesses of the project design.
