Research
2008-2009 Funded Project
Exploring Practices to Promote Inquiry Learning in Middle Grades Mathematics
Susan Friel, professor of mathematics education, is working with middle school mathematics teachers to support their growth in understanding and implementing classroom mathematics instruction focused on inquiry and problem solving with an emphasis on algebraic reasoning.
This project compliments priorities that Orange County Schools has established for helping teachers develop their practice in anticipation of adopting new mathematics curricula. This initiative will provide middle grades mathematics teachers an opportunity to explore teaching and learning mathematics in ways that support student inquiry and problem solving. A study group for 20 middle grades mathematics teachers will meet 5 times during 2008-09 in four 3-hour sessions (after school) and one 5-hour session (Saturday) throughout the year.
Emphasis for the study group will be divided into 2 parts:
- The first part of the study group will involve reading, discussing, and trying out ideas put forth in a set of four case studies that address issues of practice to be considered when engaging in inquiry learning in mathematics with students. These issues include building on student ideas, understanding and using mathematical representations, and exploring the notion of proof.
- The second part of the study group will focus more narrowly on teachers’ exploring their practice and students’ thinking in the context of designing and using high cognitive demand mathematics tasks that focus on the development of algebraic reasoning via consideration of a Framework for Analyzing Geometric Pattern Tasks.
