Mathematics

This chapter focuses on research that can inform the improvement of mathematics teaching and learning at scale. In educational contexts, improvement at scale refers to the process of taking an instructional innovation that has proved effective in supporting students’ learning in a small number of classrooms and reproducing that success in a large number of classrooms. We first argue that such research should view mathematics teachers’ instructional practices as situated in the institutional settings of the schools and broader administrative jurisdictions in which they work.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) maintains a portfolio of complementary programs aimed at improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning at all stages.

By synthesizing what has been learned with regard to critical dimensions of mathematics classroom teaching and learning, and investigating the ways teachers and other school personnel characterize high-quality mathematics instruction, this study defines the notion of ‘instructional vision’ and provides an initial categorization scheme.