Wisconsin Center for Education Research Five-Year Evaluation: An Outline

As part of IMP's 1992–97 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), a five-year evaluation is being conducted by Dr. Norman Webb at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER). Currently, this study has three components underway that focus on student outcomes. These components are described below, and results from them will be reported as data becomes available. Additional studies are also being conducted and will be highlighted in future reports.

Class of 1993 Transcript Study

The purpose of this study is to provide comparative information on the high school mathematics careers of IMP and non-IMP students. The study looks at transcripts of all students graduating in 1993 from the three high schools that began using the IMP curriculum in 1989. We are analyzing the data for both groups of students, looking at variables such as number and kinds of mathematics courses taken, standardized test scores, and grade point averages, including how these outcomes are affected by race and gender. This study is nearing completion, and data from one aspect of this study is discussed in Standardized Tests: Highlights from current studies of IMP student performance.

The Class of 1994 Post-High School Study

In this study, participants were randomly selected from IMP and non-IMP students graduating in 1994 from the four high schools that were using all four years of the IMP curriculum. Participants will be followed in their post–high school careers through the end of the NSF grant. They will be interviewed about the value they place on their high school mathematics experience and asked to describe their post–high school experiences, including college courses using mathematics. Initial interviews with these students were conducted in Spring 1995.

Class of 1998 Mathematical Growth Study

This study will monitor IMP students' growth from ninth through twelfth grade in mathematical understanding, problem-solving ability, confidence, and communication, and compare this growth with that of students who use a more traditional mathematics program. The study will follow randomly selected target students. Data is being collected through classroom observations, interviews, and videotaping of students working on problems in groups.