Building on Cross-national Comparisons to Improve the Preparation and Support of Teachers of Mathematics

This award supports a bilateral workshop to examine the preparation of mathematics teachers in the United States and in China. The workshop is co-organized by The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) Graduate School of Education (GSE) and two partner institutions in China, Beijing Normal University (BNU) and East China Normal University (ECNU). The workshop will initiate knowledge exchanges among teacher educators in both countries and forge a joint research agenda. Specific objectives include a) increasing the comparative knowledge base in both nations about promising practices in and existing challenges to mathematics teacher preparation and mathematics instruction, and b) promoting the cross-cultural exchange of ideas and the exploration of questions and points for possible international collaborative research in mathematics education. Major activities include an expert s workshop at Penn GSE in Philadelphia (fall 2008) and structured exchanges between nationally recognized master middle school teachers from both countries. The exchange includes 15 U.S. early-career researchers and 5 graduate students in mathematics education.