MaSDiV - Supporting mathematics and science teachers in addressing diversity and promoting fundamental values
MaSDiV (Supporting mathematics and science teachers in addressing diversity and promoting fundamental values) is a high-level research and evaluation project, involving leading education institutes from across Europe in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and 11 Ministries of Education.
The MaSDiV partners develop and implement a helpful course for teachers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for promoting science and mathematics literacy towards all students, including disadvantaged students from diverse cultural and social backgrounds, thus supporting learning processes about fundamental values in multicultural settings.
Furthermore, the MaSDiV partners rigorously evaluate this course using a multimethod research design. This policy experimentation measure, which is funded by the Erasmus+ Key Action 3 programme of the European Union, aims at scaling-up successful measures across Europe.
The aim of the MaSDiV project is to develop a research-based, quality-controlled and tested measure – a professional development course for teachers meant to promote an inclusive STEM education – that is broadly implemented and scaled-up across Europe. MaSDiV develops this course according to the latest research and standards for the quality of professional development and bases it on the principles of Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL), which is a well-researched STEM education concept. MaSDiV further develops and expands IBL in suitable ways to promote science and mathematics literacy among all students under the conditions of diverse and multicultural classrooms. The truly innovative feature of this course is the link it creates between STEM education and IBL on one hand and the fundamental values of intercultural learning on the other.
This course for professional development comprises three modules that are made available as free and open resources and include supplementary materials, such as suitable classroom tasks for teachers, guidelines for teacher educators giving the course, etc. Thus, the course addresses:
- IBL as an approach for addressing achievement-related diversity;
- IBL in realistic, relevant contexts, and;
- IBL in multicultural settings.
This course for professional development aims at developing teachers’ competences for practising inclusive science and mathematics education for the learning benefit of all students, regardless of their cultural or socio-economic backgrounds. The main target groups are lower secondary school teachers in general education across Europe.
MaSDiV uses a pre-post design to test the developed measure in six countries. The project’s multimethod evaluation design makes use of quantitative and qualitative procedures. The evaluation makes it possible to assess the measure’s effects reliably, as well as paving the way for a scaled-up measure. Leading science education research institutes, which are also members of the International Consortium for STEM Education (ICSE), together with European Ministries of Education, are developing this measure.
The project runs from 2017 to 2020. Its final years are devoted to the process of scaling-up the measure, to ensure that the course for professional development is implemented as widely as possible in national educational settings. MaSDiV’s cooperation with 11 European Ministries of Education and its connections with relevant national and European networks and communities in STEM education, ranging from research and policy to practice, ensures maximum impact and thus maximum benefit, resulting in a high-quality, socially relevant, just and inclusive STEM education.
Basic information
- University of Education Freiburg, Germany (Coordinating institution)
- Ministerium für Kultus, Jugend und Sport Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart, Germany
- Leibniz-Institut für die Pädagogik der Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik, Kiel, Germany
- Universidad de Jaen, Jaen, Spain
- Ministerio de Education, Cultura y Deporte, Madrid, Spain
- Universita ta Malta, Msida, Malta
- Ministry for Education and Employment, Floriana, Malta
- University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Ministry of Education and Culture, Nicosia, Cyprus
- National Ministry of Education, Ankara, Turkey
- Hacettepe Universitesi, Cankaya Ankara, Turkey
- Universiteit Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap, Den Haag, Netherlands
The experimentation, namely the implementation of the course for professional development, started in 2017 with the development of a toolkit for professional development and the development of MaSDiV’s evaluation tools. In 2018, MaSDiV implemented the measure and collected data. Field trials are being carried out in six countries. Data analysis, reporting and conclusions of the project will be made in 2019.
A multimethodological design for the evaluation makes use of both quantitative and qualitative data, accompanying the process and supporting reliable and valid conclusions about the effect of MaSDiV’s measure, paving the way for a scaled-up measure. In line with the aims of MaSDiV’s policy measure, the project evaluates the effects taking into account the development of teachers’ beliefs, their self-efficacy and their knowledge about Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL), in particular:
- IBL as an approach for delivering inclusive education;
- how IBL promotes citizenship education, and;
- how IBL supports intercultural learning.
Furthermore, MaSDiV aims at evaluating how teachers actually use these approaches in their lessons and the challenges that they encounter. In doing so, MaSDiV uses a pre-post control group design, relying primarily on quantitative data from questionnaires and a case study approach that includes lesson plans, classroom observations, semi-structured interviews and students’ data.
Several measures ensure that MaSDiV achieves reliable results and valid conclusions. The project collects data on the exact delivery of professional development and country-specific contextual conditions, for example the curricula, to facilitate interpretation and reach valid conclusions based on cross-country analysis and comparisons. MaSDiV facilitates data collection at the local level using standardised methods. Furthermore, MaSDiV provides frameworks for analysis, a qualitative analysis of the content with predefined codes, to its partners along with relevant training in order to ensure standardised analysis. Collection of the quantitative data, as well as the international and comparative analysis of the case studies, are conducted centrally.
Opportunities in professional development (PD) for teachers of mathematics and science are provided by the project.
Teachers are invited to participate in an innovative PD programme that aims at supporting the teaching of mathematics and science in diverse and multicultural contexts for the benefit of all students, regardless of their cultural or socioeconomic background. A novelty in this programme is the use of mathematics and science learning to enhance the social and civic dimensions of education, promoting values that are cornerstones of modern democratic and multicultural societies. The main target group is lower secondary school teachers teaching students aged 11-16.
The PD course places Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) at its core for the following reasons. IBL leads to a better understanding of scientific content, regardless of students’ ethnicity, gender and socio-economic status. IBL affects students’ motivation and attitudes positively, thus promoting achievement. IBL’s student-centred approach creates stimulating learning climates, and the EU working group (EC 2015, 2013) explicitly recommends it for preventing early school-leaving and supporting migrants.
Therefore the PD tool of MaSDiV features three modules presenting inquiry-based learning as an approach:
- to address achievement-related diversity;
- to enhance active citizenship in real-life, relevant problems involving ethical, social or moral aspects;
- to promote intercultural learning.
Participation in the course is free of charge. Supplementary materials, including classroom materials for teachers, are also provided.
For course dates in your country please contact icse@ph-freiburg.de
For the PD and classroom materials please visit our website http://masdiv-project.eu/project/