Mathematics

Mathematics Teachers Teaching English Language Learners: What Knowledge Do They Need? (Driscoll, Heck, Chval)

Author/Presenter

Mark Driscoll

Daniel Heck

Kathryn Chval

Year
2009
Short Description

Mathematics teachers of English language learners (ELLs) are increasingly expected to help ELLs learn academic language. This session focuses on the question, What knowledge do teachers of mathematics need in order to support the learning of ELLs?

Math Snacks: Games to Address Gaps in Mathematics Learning Poster

Shared in three sessions (Gaming Arcade, Interactive Visualizations-Simulations-and Games, and Friday morning poster session), this poster addresses the gaps identified in the Math Snacks project, and the approach to designing the games and animations that are the "Snacks". 

Author/Presenter

Barbara Chamberlin

Karin Wiburg

Ken Korn

Year
2010

Learning to Teach Mathematics in Urban High Schools: Untangling the Threads of Interwoven Narratives

In this article, the authors explore learning about equity pedagogy in mathematics by focusing on the experiences of a teacher and teacher educator within the Centering the Teaching of Mathematics on Urban Youth project. One teacher’s story is interwoven as a counterpoint and specific trajectory within the broader narrative provided by the teacher educator. Key themes addressed include the nature of teaching mathematics, identity and position, and developing culturally relevant mathematics pedagogy.

Author/Presenter

Chu, Haiwen

Rubel, Laurie

Year
2010
Short Description

 In this article, the authors explore learning about equity pedagogy in mathematics by focusing on the experiences of a teacher and teacher educator within the Centering the Teaching of Mathematics on Urban Youth project. One teacher’s story is interwoven as a counterpoint and specific trajectory within the broader narrative provided by the teacher educator. Key themes addressed include the nature of teaching mathematics, identity and position, and developing culturally relevant mathematics pedagogy. The authors’ goal is not to report on the effects of a mathematics teacher professional development program per se, but rather to open the conversation, between teacher and teacher educator, to a broader audience.

Investigating How Setting Up Cognitively Demanding Tasks is Related to Opportunities to Learn in Middle-­Grades Mathematics Classrooms

In this paper we focus on what happens when a task is first introduced to students as a crucial phase of instruction. We report on an empirical study of 132 middle grades mathematics teachers' instruction—in particular, the nature of the ways in which they introduced tasks, and the relationship between how they introduced tasks and the nature of students' opportunities to learn mathematics in the concluding whole class discussion. 

Author/Presenter

Jackson, Kara

Garrison, Anne

Wilson, Jonee

Gibbons, Lynsey

Shahan, Emily

Year
2011
Short Description

In this paper we focus on what happens when a task is first introduced to students as a crucial phase of instruction. We report on an empirical study of 132 middle grades mathematics teachers' instruction—in particular, the nature of the ways in which they introduced tasks, and the relationship between how they introduced tasks and the nature of students' opportunities to learn mathematics in the concluding whole class discussion. 

Evaluation of a Learning Trajectory for Length in the Early Years

Author/Presenter

Clements, D.

Sarama, J.

Barrett, J.

Van Dine, D.

McDonel, J.

Year
2011
Short Description

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.

Highlights from Dissemination in STEM Education R&D: Perspectives on Knowledge Use

Highlights from

Author/Presenter

Brenda J. Turnbull

Year
2009
Short Description

DRK–12 projects at all stages, from early design work through completion, can benefit from an awareness and understanding of the challenges of knowledge use, so that what is designed can be suitably adapted and scaled.

High school students’ conceptions of the minus sign

Author/Presenter

Lamb, Lisa

Bishop, Jessica

Schappelle, Bonnie

Philipp, Randy

Whitacre, Ian

Lewis, Mindy

Year
2012
Short Description

The minus sign is a mathematical symbol that is multi-functional. Yet, how often is its use explicit to the non-mathematician, or more importantly the learner, who is expected to interpret the symbolism appropriately, when often the "meaning" stems from context of its use. From the perspective of the learner, such nuances of use simply lead to confusion which has the potential for lifelong misconceptions within their personal mathematics. This commentary is based on working with children on their journey through mathematics, it provides insights into the complexity of mathematical communication for those "learning the language".