Research Objectives

This is a 3-year project designed to build the preliminary components for investigating the impacts of early algebra education on students’ algebra readiness in middle grades.The project goals are

1. To coordinate research, curricular, and mathematical perspectives to design a curricular learning progression [CLP] that identifies core algebraic concepts and their progression in children’s thinking across upper elementary and middle grades (grades 3-7). We expect the CLP to be based on core algebra areas involving variable, functions, equality, expressions and equations, proportional reasoning, and number and operation.
2. Using the CLP, to design grade-based assessments of students’ algebra understanding for upper elementary and middle grades (grades 3-7) and to validate these assessments through psychometric testing.
3. To conduct a preliminary study concerning the impact of an early algebra intervention based on the CLP and measured by the assessments developed in Project Goal 2.
4. To use the CLP and associated tasks to identify appropriate tasks for content-based teacher professional development [TPD] and to refine this through implementation of the TPD.