Submitted by Katherine Taylo... on
Measurement is a critical component of mathematics education, but research on the learning and teaching of measurement is limited, especially compared to topics such as number and operations. To contribute to the establishment of a research base for instruction in measurement, we evaluated and refined a previously developed learning trajectory in early length measurement, focusing on the developmental progressions that provide cognitive accounts of the development of children’s strategic and conceptual knowledge of measure. Findings generally supported the developmental progression, in that children reliably moved through the levels of thinking in that progression. For example, they passed through a level in which they measured length by placing multiple units or attempting to iterate a unit, sometimes leaving gaps between units. However, findings also suggested several refinements to the developmental progression, including the nature and placement of indirect length comparison in the developmental progression and the role of vocabulary, which was an important facilitator of learning for some, but not all, children.
This is a research paper presentation.
We examined children’s development of strategic and conceptual knowledge for linear measurement. We conducted teaching experiments with eight students in grades 2 and 3, based on our hypothetical learning trajectory for length to check its coherence and to strengthen the domain-specific model for learning and teaching.We checked the hierarchical structure of the trajectory by generating formative instructional task loops with each student and examining the consistency between our predictions and students’ ways of reasoning.
Learning-progression research creates new possibilities for improving teaching practice while creating new challenges. Five projects exchange views focusing on problems of teaching practice.
This session includes five projects engaged in design research to develop learning progression–based frameworks, assessments, and teaching practices/materials. The session focuses on five problems of practice that all of the projects face—where learning progression research creates new possibilities for improving current teaching practice while creating new challenges.
Submitted by Jeffrey Barrett on
We examined children’s development of strategic and conceptual knowledge for linear measurement. We conducted teaching experiments with eight students in grades 2 and 3, based on our hypothetical learning trajectory for length to check its coherence and to strengthen the domain-specific model for learning and teaching.We checked the hierarchical structure of the trajectory by generating formative instructional task loops with each student and examining the consistency between our predictions and students’ ways of reasoning.
Linn, M. C., & Chiu, J. (2011). Combining learning and assessment to improve science education. Research and Practice in Assessment, 5(Winter 2011), 4-13.
Submitted by Vanessa Peters on
Project Summary
During the lifetimes of our current middle and high school students, it is likely that our planet will undergo more anthropogenic change than it has during all of human history to date. The project is utilizing a learning progression approach for the systematic design of coordinated curriculum, tool, and assessment products focused on climate change biology. This work will provide an empirical and theoretical basis for critical concept development about the impacts of climate change on living systems.
Research Questions
