Mathematics

Providing opportunities for learning through professional development requires the examination of facilitation of sessions with teachers. This study investigates facilitation of professional development to promote teacher learning when using animations and videos in a study group with five teachers. We ask: What practices (and moves within those practices) do the facilitators enact during high-quality conversations and specific to the professional development activities?

The literature seems limited in what is known about conceptual processes that underlie evolution of students with learning disabilities (SLD) conceptions of fractions. This exploratory study examines how a foundational scheme of unit fractions (1/n) may evolve through the mathematical activity of two fifth grade girls. We analyze data segments from episodes conducted during a teaching experiment grounded in the activity of iterating estimates of one person's equal share.

When teachers understand the key purposes for having students do mathematical writing, they can use that writing to deepen understanding.

This white paper clarifies different purposes elementary students might write in math class and presents four types of mathematical writing. We define "mathematical writing" as writing that encourages students to engage in mathematical reasoning and communication. Each writing type is defined, samples of student work are provided, and additional instructional considerations are addressed.

The authors report on an immersive mathematics professional development program facilitated by online technology that provides participants with the opportunity to do  mathematics for themselves and to reflect on that experience and its impact on their professional work. In particular, the article describes design principles for creating or running your own such professional development.