For more information contact:
Director

Networking PRoject for the Improvement of Mathematics Education (NPRIME)

Mathematics teacher educators in Wisconsin are participating in a project designed ultimately to improve the preparation of teachers of mathematics PK-12.

NPRIME is a yearlong professional development project for faculty from Wisconsin’s 36 public and private colleges and universities who prepare future mathematics teachers. It is led by a team comprising college faculty and classroom teachers who serve as adjunct faculty.

Each year two or three meetings are held at various campuses around the state so that faculty members may benefit from presentations of topical information and the chance to meet and talk with one another. These participants are connected electronically via a dedicated network.

Another major part of the program is Student NPRIME, an electronic activity linking future mathematics teachers with classroom teachers who have been successful in implementing a standards-based mathematics curriculum.

NRPIME Building Connections Grants

A new direction for NPRIME in 2003-04 is to develop and implement plans for interactions between university/college faculty and PK-12 classroom teachers who have been implementing standards-based programs for three or more years.

These interactions can take several forms

1. Faculty observations in the PK-12 classrooms
2. PK-12 student work from these classrooms is used as case studies in college courses
3. The PK-12 teachers participate in the college classrooms
4. Preservice students are connected online with the classroom teachers
5. Faculty has follow-up online opportunities with the classroom teachers

Funds are available to support these activities which replace the usual winter and spring NPRIME meetings.

Grants Are:

• Intended to support small projects where college faculty connect with K-12 teachers
• Maximum award is $1,500 per institution
• Proposals submitted now may be for second semester projects
• Applications due September 22, 2003
• Notification of awards on September 29
  If all funds are not awarded in Fall 2003, there may be a second round of grants awarded

Download a grant application (Word doc)

Purpose of NPRIME Online Network

FOCUS for 2003-2004


• Wisconsin licensure and certification requirements
  
• performance assessment
  
• mathematics teacher preparation
  
• national and state standards

Activities in 2003-2004

NPRIME conducts face-to-face meetings and online conferencing for faculty professional development to:

• Examine Portfolio Assessment in terms of PI 34 and State teacher licensing and certification requirements



• Examine research and standards-based materials and their implications in mathematics teacher preparation



• Explore assessment methods in connection with the Initial Educator License: portfolios, e-portfolios, and teacher professional development plans



• Connect preservice teachers with peers from other campuses and with PK-12 classroom teachers (Student NPRIME)



• Connect college faculty with Master Teachers for exchange of expertise in each other's classrooms



• Connect college faculty with Master Teachers who provide access to K-12 student work for use in preservice programs



• Expand use of Mathline video resources in teacher preparation courses



• Conduct online asynchronous Book Talks

Who Can Participate

College / University faculty teaching elementary and secondary mathematics content and/or curriculum and methods courses to future mathematics teachers.

Join NPRIME

Students at colleges / universities who are planning to teach mathematics.

Leadership Team

Leadership for NPRIME is shared among representatives from private and public universities / colleges, and classroom teachers. Project activities are planned by this group.

Project Background

NPRIME is modeled after the successful PRIME project (1989-92) directed by Dr. Sue Lamon, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, and the Wisconsin MATHLINE Project.

NPRIME began in 1998 when an advisory group of mathematics educators representing Wisconsin public and private higher education institutions met to assess the need for the project and plan initial acitivities.

Funding for NPRIME is supported by the University of Wisconsin System ESEA Title II Higher Education Program and is administered through Carroll College, Waukesha.

For further information contact:

- Project Director
608-437-5082