Model Mathematics Education (ModelME)

Model Mathematics Education (ModelME) is developing and testing integrated curriculum for 4th–6th grade students with learning disabilities and difficulties to increase engagement in and understanding of fraction concepts. The project will impact 140 elementary and middle school students and their teachers in both rural and urban settings in North Carolina and Florida who have been underrepresented in STEM and have had limited opportunities to access and advance their STEM knowledge. The project engages students in universally designed problem-solving challenges rooted in authentic STEM and ICT careers that have executive function scaffolds, cognitive tutoring and dynamic assessments embedded within. The project makes use of models from successful startup businesses to build the games, measure outcomes and revise them through testing with students. The project leverages industry and school partners to infuse the game into elementary and middle school intervention classrooms so that students can experience the game-based mathematics fraction curriculum. This project will help address a critical need to increase diversity of individuals with disabilities in STEM through accessible learning environments that foster foundational mathematical learning while growing interest in STEM/ICT careers.