Project SLOPE Website

The AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Fellows Program (2019 2021) supported six AMATYC members as they conducted a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) project at their home institution with the support of a community of peers and mentors within AMATYC. SoTL is inquiry by faculty into questions about their teaching and their students' learning to better understand the successes and failures in both teaching and learning and reveal students' understandings and misunderstandings of mathematics. Fellows met virtually through online collaboration platforms and video conferencing, and in person at a summer workshop on SoTL, and at the 2019 and 2021 AMATYC Conferences. The program itself was a professional development opportunity for the Fellows and the outcomes of the SoTL projects conducted were shared among the AMATYC community through conference presentations and my.AMATYC.org blogposts.

Project SLOPE Fellow	SoTL Project Title
Luke Walsh Catawba Valley CC, North Carolina	A Critical Self-Study of Reported Student Experiences to Measure Anti-Oppression in a Calculus I Course
Anurag Katyal Palm Beach State College, Florida	Increasing Sense of Belonging using Inquiry
Rhea Becke Clark College, Washington	Student Ownership through Reflection
Vinodh Chellamuthu Utah Tech University	Assessing Student Mathematical Confidence through Modeling
Brooks Ziegler Pellissippi State CC, Tennessee	Examining Student Attitudes Towards Statistics in Community College Courses
Wendy Johnson Wake Tech CC, North Carolina	Impacts of Teaching Practices on Student Self-Efficacy in Online Precalculus

Project SLOPE Research Mentors
John T. Smith, Pellissippi State CC, Tennessee
Keith Nabb, Piedmont Virginia Community College

Project Personnel
Megan Breit-Goodwin, PI, Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Coon Rapids, MN
Ann Sitomer, Co-PI, Oregon State University
Kathleen Quardokus Fisher, Co-PI, Florida International University
Jacqueline Dewar, Senior Personnel, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles

Project SLOPE Advisory Board
David Bressoud, Macalester College
Milo Koretsky, Oregon State University
Andrea Beach, Western Michigan University
Nancy Sattler, AMATYC

AMATYC Project Leadership
James Ham, President, 2018 2020
Jane Tanner, Past President, 2018 2020
Kate Kozak, President Elect, 2018 - 2020
Nancy Rivers, Southeast Vice President, 2018 - 2020
Anne Dudley, Executive Director

About

Project SLOPE (Scholarly Leaders Originating as Practicing Educators) is an exploration and design project that examines the opportunities and structures that support mathematics faculty engagement in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Project SLOPE is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF IUSE:EHR #1726891).

The goals of Project SLOPE are (1) to conduct a feasibility study that explores the relationship between supports for faculty for engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and the structures of two-year colleges; and (2) to design, implement, and evaluate a pilot SoTL program for two-year college faculty through the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC).

Project SLOPE is currently in its second phase of implementation.

The second phase (Year 2 and Year 3) of Project SLOPE will center on the implementation of the AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Fellows Program and the evaluation of the program. The co-PI led evaluation of Project SLOPE will examine the experiences of two-year college mathematics faculty researchers, who will participate in the AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Fellows Program.

The first phase (Year 1) of Project SLOPE focused on inquiry into existing literature about present and past SoTL initiatives in which two-year college faculty have engaged, and surveying and interviewing two-year college faculty who have done this work. This research provides the foundation for the design of the AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Fellows Program.

Research Fellows Program

AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Fellows Program
February 2019 December 2020

The AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Fellows Program will progress through five phases as Research Fellows advance their SoTL projects.

AMATYC Project SLOPE Fellows will attend a summer workshop centered on engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and attend two AMATYC conferences during the program. Fellows will engage in online collaboration with the Project SLOPE Community, and spend self-directed time planning, conducting, and reporting on a SoTL project that is conducted within their own classrooms. A webinar series will be included in the program and open for the entire AMATYC community.

The anticipated time commitment for in Project SLOPE is two hours per week. This time includes engagement in online collaboration with the Project SLOPE Community, and self-directed time spent planning, conducting, and reporting on a SoTL project that is conducted within the fellow's own classroom.

The technologies that will be used for online collaboration within the AMATYC Project SLOPE community include a Google, Zoom, phone, email and possible other technological spaces determined by collaborators. Fellows will use a Google account for online collaboration. Fellows may choose to use their own Google account or use a Project SLOPE specific Google account that is created specifically for collaboration with the AMATYC Project SLOPE community.

Reference

Cox, M. D. (2004). Introduction to faculty learning communities. In M. D. Cox & L. Richlin (Eds.), Building faculty learning communities (pp. 5-23). New Directions for Teaching and Learning: No. 97, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Fellows Program Events

AMATYC Project SLOPE Summer Workshop on SoTL
Portland State University Portland, OR June 13 15, 2019
AMATYC National Conferences
45^th AMATYC Annual Conference Milwaukee, WI November 14 17, 2019		46^th AMATYC Annual Conference Spokane, WA November 12 15, 2020
Project SLOPE Webinar Series (Estimated Dates)
Topic: SoTL in the First Two Years of College Mathematics Presenters: Jacqueline Dewar and Megan Breit-Goodwin March 2019	Topic: AMATYC Project SLOPE SoTL Projects Presenters: AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Fellows October 2019		Topic: Outcomes of the AMATYC Project SLOPE SoTL Projects Presenters: AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Fellows December 2020

Contact: Questions and inquiries about the AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Fellows Program can be directed to Megan Breit-Goodwin at Megan.Breit-Goodwin@anokaramsey.edu

Contacts

If you have questions about or ideas for Project SLOPE, please contact us.

Megan Breit-Goodwin, PI
Anoka-Ramsey Community College
Megan.Breit-Goodwin@anokaramsey.edu

Ann Sitomer, Co-PI
Portland State University
asitomer@pdx.edu

Kathleen Quardokus Fisher,
Co-PI
Florida International University
kquardok@fiu.edu

Jacqueline Dewar, Senior Personnel
Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles

jdewar "at" lmu.edu

Project SLOPE Research Fellows

Rhea Becke, Clark College,Vancouver, Washington

Rhea Becke is a Transitional Studies Math Instructor. She teaches developmental and high school equivalency math in at Clark College in Vancouver, WA. She received her MAT from the University of Alaska Southeast and has taught in the K-12 system and at the community college. Her interests are in contextualizing curriculum and developing study skills in the math classroom. She enjoys family, gardening, hiking and traveling.

Vinodh Chellamuthu, Dixie State University, Utah

Vinodh Chellamuthu is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Dixie State University. He received his Ph.D. Degree in Mathematics from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. His research interest is in the area of Mathematical Biology. More specifically, developing mathematical models to better understand and predict the spread of diseases. When it comes to teaching, he is constantly looking to improve the student's classroom experience with non-traditional math pedagogy. Interacting with students and teaching them life skills through mathematics is something that brings him great joy.

Wendy Johnson, Wake Tech CC, North Carolina

Wendy Johnson is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Wake Tech Community College. She earned a BS in Mathematics Education from West Chester University and taught high school for 2 years before accepting a teaching assistantship at North Carolina State University to earn a MS in Applied Mathematics. After working as a software support specialist for Misys Healthcare Systems (now Allscripts) two years, she returned to teaching, first at Meredith College and now at Wake Tech CC for the past 11 years. Her interests are fostering student confidence and competence in mathematics through group interactions. Hobbies include time with family, friends, band, and soccer team.

Anurag Katyal, Palm Beach State College, Florida

Anurag Katyal is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Palm Beach State College. He enjoys working with students as they engage in learning tasks that help them make sense of mathematics. Learning alongside and in partnership with his students is one of the best parts of his work as a teacher. Outside of teaching, Anurag enjoys photography, listening to music and walking on the beach at night.

Luke Walsh, Catawba Valley CC, North Carolina

Luke Walsh graduated from Indiana University in 2000 and then began teaching 8th grade mathematics in North Carolina. After five years in the public education system, he took a break to hike the Appalachian Trail. In 2007, Luke earned a masters in mathematics from Appalachian State University, and since then he has been a full-time mathematics instructor at Catawba Valley CC. Luke loves to collaborate with other teachers, to eat BBQ and drink craft beer, to create graphs on Desmos, to spend time outdoors, and to go on family road trips.

Brooks Ziegler, Pellissippi State CC, Knoxville, Tennessee

Brooks Ziegler is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Pellissippi State Community College where he teaches a wide range of introductory and upper-level courses. He earned a BS and MS in Pure Mathematics from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. His research interests are in the areas of Mathematical Physics, Algebraic Coding Theory, and Theoretical Cryptography. His areas of interest in mathematics education are the integration and proper uses of technology in the classroom, and how student attitudes towards mathematical utility changes success in mathematical learning.

AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Mentors

Keith Nabb
University of Wisconsin - River Falls

Keith Nabb is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. He teaches courses in mathematics and mathematics education at UWRF. His current interests include nonroutine problems, active learning, and mathematical knowledge for teaching.

John Smith, Pellissippi
State CC, Knoxville, Tennessee

John Smith is an Associate Professor of Mathematics. He teaches co-requisite remedial mathematics, introductory statistics, mathematics for general studies, and college success courses. His research focuses on holistic approaches to teaching and learning essential to teaching for transformation. Faith and family are of primary importance with spoiling grandchildren, hiking, and traveling as favorite activities.

Dissemination

Project SLOPE will be at the 43rd Annual AMATYC Conference in San Diego
November 9 - 12, 2017

Please join Project SLOPE Personnel and the Research Committee (RMETYC) at a special Symposium on The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in College Mathematics

Session	Title	Presenter(s)	Time
Y1 Keynote	Exploring Teaching and Learning in College Mathematics	Jacqueline Dewar	Friday 10:15 -11:05 AM
Y2 Workshop	Embarking on Inquiry in your Classroom	Ann Sitomer, Jacqueline Dewar	Friday 11:25 AM 1:25 PM
Y3 Workshop	Moving from Reflective Teaching to Classroom Inquiry	Megan Breit-Goodwin, John T. Smith	Saturday 10:45 AM -12:45 PM

If you would like to meet with Project SLOPE personnel at the Conference to talk about SoTL, your experiences or interest in SoTL, please email PI Megan Breit-Goodwin at Megan.Breit-Goodwin@anokaramsey.edu.

We look forward to seeing you in San Diego!

News Archive

August 2018

AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Fellows Program Information

Please explore our website to learn about the AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Fellows Program. The application period for the program is October 1 November 30. Look for the application to go live on October 1!

44^th AMATYC Annual Conference in Orlando, FL
Project SLOPE personnel look forward to meeting you at the 44th AMATYC Annual Conference in Orlando, FL, November 15 - 18, 2018.

Look for PIs Megan Breit-Goodwin and Ann Sitomer or contact Megan Breit-Goodwin at Megan.Breit-Goodwin@anokaramsey.edu if you would like to meet and talk about Project SLOPE or SoTL while at the conference. We will present two times that relate to Project SLOPE and SoTL

Thursday, November 17, 11:30 AM 12:20 PM, Session: S0028

Title: Communities Facilitating Scholarly Mathematics Teaching and Learning
Speakers: Megan Breit-Goodwin and Ann Sitomer

Abstract: Reflective communities can help transform problems of teaching and learning into inquiry and create meaningful change. Come learn about elements of Faculty Learning Communities, originating from the work of Milton Cox, and return to your college with ideas that can help build such communities within your department and school.

The AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Fellows Program will employ structures defined within Faculty Learning Communities to engage Research Fellows in SoTL. Faculty Learning Communities present impactful and meaningful ways for faculty to collaboratively reflect, examine, and explore issues of teaching and learning. We look forward to engaging with you in this session and learning about communities in your department or college that have both challenged and supported you in advancing your own teaching and your students' learning.

Friday, November 18, 8:00 8:50 AM Chat and Chew

Project SLOPE will share information about the AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Fellows Program at the Chat and Chew session on Friday morning, November 16. Application information will be available. Chat and Chew is a fun and energizing event (yes at 8:00 AM!) and a great way to start out Friday's conference. Come visit with us!

September 21, 2017

2017 AMATYC Conference in San Diego

Project SLOPE personnel look forward to meeting you at the AMATYC Conference in San Diego, November, 9 - 12, 2017.

AMATYC is hosting a Symposium on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in College Mathematics sponsored by the Research in Mathematics Education for Two-Year Colleges (RMETYC) Committee.

Jacqueline Dewar will present a keynote talk titled Exploring Teaching and Learning in College Mathematics (Session Y1). There will be two themed workshops centered on SoTL titled Embarking on Inquiry in Your Classroom (Session Y2) led by Jacqueline Dewar and Ann Sitomer, and Moving from Reflective Teaching to Classroom Inquiry (Session Y3) led by Megan Breit-Goodwin and John Smith (RMETYC Chair).

Look for PIs Megan Breit-Goodwin, Ann Sitomer, and Kathleen Quardokus Fisher or contact Megan Breit-Goodwin at Megan.Breit-Goodwin@anokaramsey.edu if you would like to meet and talk about Project SLOPE or SoTL while at the conference.

Sharing of Outcomes

Sharing of Outcomes

Project SLOPE is committed to the advancement of research into the teaching and learning in college mathematics and two-year college mathematics faculty research. The efforts of the project will include multiple modes of dissemination to diverse audiences within the communities of Mathematics, Mathematics Education, Two-Year Colleges and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

Professional Learning Opportunities

Breit-Goodwin, M., Dewar, J. (2019, March 27) The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in College Mathematics [Webinar]. Retrieved from https://amatyc.site-ym.com/page/Webinars

Breit-Goodwin, M. & Sitomer, A. (2018). Communities Facilitating Scholarly Mathematics Teaching and Learning. American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges Annual Conference, Orlando, FL, November 2018.

A three-part symposium, titled, The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in College Mathematics was presented at the 43rd AMATYC Annual Conference.

Dewar, J. (2017, November). Exploring teaching and learning in college mathematics. Symposium keynote presented at the 43rd AMATYC Annual Conference, San Diego, CA.

Dewar, J. & Sitomer, A. (2017, November). Embarking on inquiry in your classroom. Symposium workshop presented at the 43rd AMATYC Annual Conference, San Diego, CA.

Breit-Goodwin, M. & Smith, J.T. (2017, November). Moving from reflective teaching to classroom inquiry. Symposium workshop presented at the 43rd AMATYC Annual Conference, San Diego, CA.

Sharing of Project SLOPE Outcomes

Presentations

Sitomer, A., Quardokus-Fisher, K., & Breit-Goodwin, M. (2019). Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Reconsidered in the Two-Year College Setting. Council for the Study of Community Colleges 61st Annual Conference, San Diego, CA, March 2019.

Breit-Goodwin, M., Sitomer, A., Quardokus Fisher, K. & Dewar, J. (2019). Scholarly Leaders Originating as Practicing Educators in Two-Year College Mathematics (Project SLOPE). MAA Poster Session: Projects Supported by the NSF Division of Undergraduate Education at the AMS/MAA Joint Mathematics Meetings, Baltimore, MD, January 2019.

Breit-Goodwin, M., Sitomer, A., Quardokus Fisher, K., & Dewar, J. (2018). Engaging Two-Year College Mathematics Faculty in SoTL. North Central Section of the Mathematical Association of America Fall Meeting, Marshall, MN, October 2018.

Dewar, J. (2018). Teaching mathematics in open-door institutions. Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) Newsletter 48(1), 13 - 15.

Announcements of Project SLOPE and the Project SLOPE led symposium on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in College Mathematics were presented in the 2017 United States Regional Report of ISSOTL.

International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. (2017). 2017 United States Regional Report. Retrieved from https://www.issotl.com/regional-reports.

Sharing of Project SLOPE News Updates

Presentations

Breit-Goodwin, M. (2018). AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Fellows Program. American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges Annual Conference, Orlando, FL, November 2018.

Publications

Walsh, L. & Breit-Goodwin, M. (2019). Project SLOPE. AMATYC News, 34(3),8.

Breit-Goodwin, M. (2019). Project SLOPE. AMATYC News, 34(2), 1.

McClain, A. (2019, March 8). Professor Vinodh Chellamuthu selected as a fellow for national initiative. Blazer Bulletin. Retrieved from https://bulletin.dixie.edu/blog/

McDonald, T. B. (2019, February 13). Katyal named fellow by AMATYC. Palm Beach State College News Center. Retrieved from http://news.palmbeachstate.edu/

Breit-Goodwin, M. (2018) AMATYC Project SLOPE Research Fellows Program. AMATYC News, 33(3), 1.

Propagation

Project SLOPE is committed to the advancement of research in college mathematics and two-year college mathematics faculty research. The efforts of the project will include multiple modes of dissemination to diverse audiences within the communities of Mathematics, Mathematics Education, Two-Year Colleges and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

Papers, presentations and other shared outcomes from Project SLOPE will be included in this page as they occur.

American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC)
2017

A three-part symposium, titled, The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in College Mathematics was presented at the 43rd AMATYC Annual Conference.

Dewar, J. (2017, November). Exploring teaching and learning in college mathematics.
Symposium keynote presented at the 43rd AMATYC Annual Conference, San Diego, CA.

Dewar, J. & Sitomer, A. (2017, November). Embarking on inquiry in your classroom. Symposium workshop presented at the 43rd AMATYC Annual Conference, San Diego, CA.

Breit-Goodwin, M. & Smith, J.T. (2017, November). Moving from reflective teaching to classroom inquiry. Symposium workshop presented at the 43rd AMATYC Annual Conference, San Diego, CA.

Association of Women in Mathematics (AWM)

2018

A summary of the AMATYC Symposium on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in College Mathematics, and an announcement of Project SLOPE was made in the AWM Newsletter Education Column in January/February 2018 Issue.

Dewar, J. (2018). Teaching mathematics in open-door institutions. Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) Newsletter 48(1), 13 - 15.

International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL)

2017
Announcements of Project SLOPE and the Project SLOPE led symposium on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in College Mathematics were presented in the 2017 United States Regional Report of ISSOTL.

International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. (2017). 2017 United States Regional Report. Retrieved from https://www.issotl.com/regional-reports.

Research

The Research Associate Program Pilot is an initiative within AMATYC seeking to encourage two-year college mathematics faculty in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Dewar & Bennett (2015) define SoTL as classroom research that is: (1) undertaken with the goal to improve teaching practice in a way that supports student learning; (2) grounded upon findings from previous research; (3) presented in a form that others can build on; and (4) public and open to peer-review.

The focus of the Research Associate Program Pilot is the engagement of AMATYC Research Associates in SoTL projects beginning with the development of research questions and including the design of the studies, implementation of the study, analysis of data and sharing of outcomes. The pilot program will be designed using a cohort model in which research associates collaborate on SoTL projects and research mentors work to support associates as they navigate the demands of conducting research in their classrooms. The program pilot will include a SoTL workshop led by Jacqueline Dewar, a leader of the SoTL movement within college mathematics.

Six AMATYC Research Associates and two AMATYC Research Mentors will participate in the pilot program. It is anticipated that the Research Associate Program Pilot application period will occur in Fall 2018 and the pilot will begin in Spring 2019 and conclude in May 2020.

Questions and inquiries about the Research Associate Program within AMATYC can be directed to PI Megan Breit-Goodwin at Megan.Breit-Goodwin@anokaramsey.edu

Source:

Dewar, J. M., & Bennett, C. D. (Eds.). (2015). Doing the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Mathematics. Washington, DC: Mathematical Association of America.