ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Secondary Mathematics Methods Courses: What Do We Value?
Author: Otten, Samuel
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Secondary School Teachers,Mathematics Teachers,Teacher Education,Mathematics Instruction,Methods Courses,College Faculty,Teacher Surveys,Teacher Attitudes,National Surveys,Criticism,Statistical Analysis,Qualitative Research,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Comparative Analysis

Mathematics teacher education has been criticized, both internally and externally, for failing to identify shared practices and goals within teacher preparation programs. Work has begun to address this criticism at the elementary level but less exists at the secondary level. This paper reports on a national survey with responses from 116 secondary mathematics methods course instructors from colleges and universities. The purpose of the survey was to identify those topics, or &quot;touchstones,&quot; in secondary methods courses that are widely valued. The survey asked participants to rank 41 potential &quot;touchstones&quot; of secondary mathematics methods courses on a scale from one to five according to those touchstones they value most in their methods courses. The results were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed looking for important characteristics that would spur discussion about shared goals in secondary teacher preparation. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
Finding Voice: Teacher Agency and Mathematics Leadership Development
Author: Cox, Dana C.
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Teacher Leadership,Mathematics Teachers,Faculty Development,Models,Training Methods,Participative Decision Making,Instructional Innovation,Inservice Teacher Education,Elementary School Teachers,Mentors,Resistance to Change,Experiential Learning,Transcripts (Written Records),Teacher Workshops,Meetings,Electronic Publishing,Content Analysis,Hermeneutics

In the course of engaging with a Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) project, we planned a yearlong Leadership Academy that fit under the &quot;train the trainers&quot; model for professional development. Midway through, teacher leaders rejected a traditional conception of leadership based on expertise, individualism, and the transmission of knowledge. This proved to be a moment of critical mass wherein the project was democratically reinvented around a model of shared leadership where teacher leaders were positioned as ambassadors of a culture of inquiry. We were able to document three catalysts for this shift as well as the conditions that existed such that these catalysts could prove effective at producing change. We present here our findings on what happens when we allow teachers to take power and experience agency in a teacher leadership development program. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
Examining the Role Lesson Plans Play in Mathematics Education
Author: Courtney, Scott A.
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Lesson Plans,Planning,Mathematics Education,Teacher Education Programs,Preservice Teachers,Special Education Teachers,Online Surveys,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Secondary School Teachers,Elementary School Teachers

Formal lesson plans have long been touted as a best practice in mathematics teacher preparation. Experienced teachers frequently view formal lesson plans as nonessential to the planning, implementation, and evaluation of instruction. We discuss results from an online survey designed to make the perspectives of 60 prospective and practicing mathematics and special education teachers regarding lesson plans explicit. Practicing teachers identified their use of formal lesson plans as a reflective tool and for organization purposes, whereas for prospective teachers lesson plans served as a guide and for accountability reasons. Finally, we describe future mathematics teacher education engagements designed to promote productive yet practical perspectives of formal lesson plans. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
Seeking Attention to Student Thinking: In Support of Teachers as Interviewers
Author: Caddle, Mary C.
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Faculty Development,Interviews,Planning,Mathematical Logic,Cognitive Processes,Attention,Lesson Plans,Video Technology,Teaching Methods,Learning Activities,Student Needs

In this paper, we analyze efforts to encourage teachers' attention to student thinking through a professional development (PD) program. We describe three groups of teachers within the same program who completed different types of assignments, either conducting interviews, planning classroom activities, or both. In both types of assignments, teachers were prompted to explicitly address student thinking. Teachers attended to specifics of student thinking when conducting and analyzing interviews, but struggled to do so when planning activities. While acknowledging the value of sustained attention to revision of lessons, reviewing classroom videos, and utilizing different forms of classroom discourse, we argue that conducting and analyzing interviews is an underused activity that can and should be an important part of teachers' professional development if we seek to encourage attention to student thinking. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
Teacher Noticing of Justification: Attending to the Complexity of Mathematical Content and Practice
Author: Melhuish, Kathleen
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Elementary School Teachers,Mathematics Instruction,Faculty Development,Attention,Thinking Skills,Mathematics Skills,Validity,Mathematical Logic,Generalization,Persuasive Discourse

In this report, we will consider in-service elementary school teachers' noticing of the mathematical practice: justification. This study is part of a larger project evaluating the efficacy of a three year professional development built around attending to student thinking and promoting mathematical habits of justifying, generalizing and making sense. Noticing justification is a complex task requiring attention to both the (1) mathematical content and strategies and (2) the nature of the argument provided by a student. We have found that teachers' struggle to attend to both aspects simultaneously and offer a framework for considering teacher noticing of mathematical practices. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
The Unintended Consequences of a Learning Trajectories Approach
Author: Myers, Marrielle
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Case Studies,Classroom Techniques,Qualitative Research,Equal Education,Teaching Methods,Educational Practices,Instructional Effectiveness,Beliefs,Inservice Teacher Education,Faculty Development,Preschool Teachers,Early Childhood Education,Mathematics Instruction,Interviews,Observation

This case study, which is a part of a larger design study, examines teachers' uses of learning trajectories (LTs) in diverse classrooms. Specifically data were collected and analyzed for evidence of equitable use of LTs and learning trajectory-based instruction (LTBI). Qualitative analysis revealed that the use of LTBI did not guarantee equitable instructional practices. Moreover, a number of deficit-oriented themes emerged in one case. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
A Dynamic Geometry-Centered Teacher Professional Development Program and Its Impact
Author: Jiang, Zhonghong
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Faculty Development,High Schools,Secondary School Teachers,Secondary School Mathematics,Mathematics Instruction,Geometry,Mathematics Teachers,Randomized Controlled Trials,Observation,Questionnaires,Teaching Methods,Comparative Analysis,Scores,Computer Software,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Knowledge Level,Hierarchical Linear Modeling,Statistical Analysis

This study investigated the impact of a dynamic geometry (DG)-centered teacher professional development program on high school geometry teachers' content knowledge and their students' geometry learning. 64 geometry teachers were randomly assigned to an experimental (DG) group and a control group. Both groups received appropriate and relevant professional development. Classroom observation data and the teachers' responses to the implementation questionnaires revealed that most teachers in the DG group were faithful to the DG instructional approach. Teachers in the DG group scored higher on a conjecturing-proving test than did teachers in the control group. The students of teachers in the DG group scored significantly higher than the students of teachers in the control group on a geometry achievement test. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
Investigation of Math Teachers&apos; Circle through a Zone Theory Lens
Author: Karakok, Gulden
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Problem Solving,Models,Teaching Skills,Faculty Development,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Inservice Teacher Education,Program Implementation,Standardized Tests,Mathematics Teachers,Mathematical Concepts,Pretests Posttests,Teacher Workshops,Teacher Surveys,Middle School Teachers,Statistical Analysis

Math Teachers' Circles (MTCs) are an innovative, problem-solving focused approach to professional development. This model provides teachers opportunities to develop their problem solving skills as well as help them to communicate with others on classroom implementation of problem-solving activities. As with any professional development with teachers, it is important to explore the impact of this model in terms of teachers' learning and development. In this report we provide our implementation of a zone theory lens provided by Goos as a way to investigate the MTC model. Initial analysis implementing this particular theoretical lens helps us gain insights in ways to improve this new model of professional development activities for future participants. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
Pre-Service Teachers&apos; Understanding of Fraction Operations: Providing Justification for Common Algorithms
Author: Whitehead, Ashley N.
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Fractions,Mathematics Instruction,Mathematical Concepts,Concept Formation,Multiplication,Coding,Elementary School Teachers,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Mathematical Logic,Validity,Methods Courses,Pretests Posttests,Scores

This study examined pre-service elementary teachers' change in their understanding of fraction operations while taking a mathematics methods course. Specifically, their explanations and justifications for common algorithms for multiplication and division of fractions were coded using an existing framework (SOLO; Biggs, 1999) for the assessment of understanding. Results indicated that most students made improvement in terms of their level of understanding around fraction algorithms. Implications for mathematics teacher educators are discussed. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
Research in Mathematics Educational Technology: Trends in Professional Development over 40 Years of Research
Author: Driskel, Shannon O.
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Faculty Development,Mathematics Teachers,Technology Integration,Literature Reviews,Educational History

The effective use of digital technologies in school settings calls for appropriate professional development opportunities for inservice teachers. How has professional development shifted in support of mathematics teachers integrating these technologies in their teaching? This study explored the impact of digital technologies in mathematics inservice professional development over the past four decades and examined how various technologies, content strands, grade-level bands, teacher outcomes, and student outcomes were being used to design mathematics professional development on integrating technology. This study provides recommendations to mathematics teacher educators as they transform professional development to meet the challenges faced in integrating new and emerging technologies in their instruction. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
Pre-Service Secondary Teachers Learning to Engage in Mathematical Practices
Author: Baldinger, Erin E.
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Common Core State Standards,Mathematics Instruction,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Preservice Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Pretests Posttests,Interviews,Protocol Analysis,Algebra,Problem Solving,Case Studies,Teaching Skills,Observation

The Common Core Standards require students to learn content and mathematical practices, and so teachers must have content knowledge and be able to engage in practices themselves. This raises the question of how novice teachers learn to engage in mathematical practices. I investigate pre-service secondary teacher learning of mathematical practices following participation in a mathematics content course for teachers using a pre/post design. Four participants completed think-aloud interviews solving algebra tasks. All participants increased their engagement in mathematical practices and began to engage in them in more nuanced ways. Many changes in participants' practice engagement were related to opportunities to learn in the content course around making sense of problems, justification, and attention to precision. These results have important implications for teacher preparation and research on teacher learning. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
Dynamic Geometry Software and Tracing Tangents in the Context of the Mean Value Theorem
Author: Martínez Hernández, Cesar
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Graduate Students,Mathematics Instruction,Computer Software,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Geometry,Foreign Countries,Masters Programs,Qualitative Research,Teamwork

In this paper we analyze and discuss the postgraduate students' performance related to the tracing of tangent lines to the curve of a quadratic function within Dynamic Geometry Software in the context of Mean Value Theorem. The purpose is to show the possibility of using Dynamic Geometry in promoting learning of such Theorem, based on its geometric interpretation. The theoretical elements adopted in this study are based on the instrumental approach to tool use. The results illustrate the epistemic role of the Dynamic Geometry Technique, as well as the difficulties associated with their paper-and-pencil Techniques. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
Identifying Spaces for Diverse Learners&apos; Multiple Mathematical Knowledge Bases in Existing Curriculum
Author: Harper, Frances
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Mathematics Curriculum,Mathematics Instruction,Elementary School Mathematics,Preservice Teachers,Preservice Teacher Education,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Thinking Skills,Mathematical Aptitude,Reflection,Curriculum Evaluation,Student Teacher Attitudes,Definitions,Thematic Approach,Prior Learning,Motivation Techniques,Student Needs,Educational Practices

This project examines how prospective elementary teachers (PSTs) framed the idea of drawing on multiple mathematical knowledge bases (MMKB)--children's mathematical thinking and funds of knowledge--for diverse learners, in the context of adapting curriculum. We analyzed 47 written reflections of PSTs' analyses of an existing mathematics curriculum. Using inductive analysis, we identified four themes related to how PSTs evaluated the curriculum and identified possible spaces for small adaptations. Findings describe how these four themes related to incorporating MMKB. We discuss implications for mathematics teacher education. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
Standardized Assessments of Beginning Teachers&apos; Discussion Leading Practice: Is It Possible and What Can We Learn?
Author: Selling, Sarah Kate
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Standardized Tests,Teacher Evaluation,Beginning Teachers,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Mathematics Instruction,Teaching Skills,Classroom Communication,Discussion (Teaching Technique),Video Technology

This paper examines the possibilities of using standardized assessments to assess elementary and secondary novice teachers' skills with leading problem-based mathematics discussion. The findings reveal that our standardized assessments were able to elicit and reveal variations in skills across teachers; provide fine-grained detail about the performance of particular teachers for feedback purposes; and account for existing classroom norms. This suggests that such tools could be useful in assessing and supporting beginning teachers. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
Teachers&apos; Understanding of Ratios and Their Connections to Fractions
Author: Nagar, Gili Gal
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Middle School Teachers,Secondary School Mathematics,Vocabulary,Mathematical Concepts,Language Usage,Multiplication,Fractions,Knowledge Level,Interviews,Video Technology,Protocol Analysis,Mathematics Instruction

In this study, we considered how middle school teachers understood the relationship between fractions and ratios. We used two instruments to collect data from 11 teachers and relied on Knowledge in Pieces as a lens for considering understandings teachers have and how coherent those understandings are. From our analysis, we developed three main findings: participants did not have a single definition for ratios; they used specific vocabulary when discussing ratios; and their language evoked additive strategies rather than multiplicative relationships. Further, we concluded that they each had a number of knowledge resources, but that those resources may not yet be well-connected to each other. This has implications for professional development. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
Insights on the Relationships between Mathematics Knowledge for Teachers and Curricular Material
Author: Preciado-Babb, Paulino
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Mathematics Curriculum,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Interviews,Teaching Methods,Mathematical Concepts,Concept Formation,Elementary School Teachers,Faculty Development,Foreign Countries,Curriculum Implementation,Guides,Student Evaluation,Grading,Inquiry,Problem Solving

This study reports teachers' insights and challenges after one year of adopting a curricular material designed to move students through carefully engineered, small steps and encourage learners through success and accessible challenges. The analysis of interviews showed that teachers 'followed' the material in different ways, not necessary in-line with its underlying principles. Two of these principles--bonusing and breaking down concepts into smaller elements--were particularly difficult for many teachers, suggesting the need of a specific teachers' mathematical knowledge. [The authors acknowledge the support provided by Canadian Oil Sands Limited. For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
Reasoning Quantitatively to Develop Inverse Function Meanings
Author: Paoletti, Teo
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Mathematics Activities,Mathematical Concepts,Thinking Skills,Statistical Analysis,Problem Solving,Teaching Methods,Experimental Teaching,Preservice Teachers,Preservice Teacher Education,Undergraduate Students,Instructional Innovation,Task Analysis,Interviews,Student Teacher Attitudes,Graphs

Researchers have argued that students can develop foundational understandings for a variety of mathematical concepts through quantitative reasoning. I extend this research by exploring how students' quantitative reasoning can support them in developing meanings for inverse relations that influence their inverse function meanings. After summarizing the literature on students' inverse function meanings, I provide my theoretical perspective, including a description of a quantitative approach in the context of inverse relations. I then present one student's activity in a teaching experiment designed to support her in reasoning about a relation and its inverse as representing the same relationship. The student's quantitative reasoning supported her in developing productive meanings for inverse function, although this required her to reorganize her understanding of various mathematical ideas. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
Through Their Eyes: Early Childhood Teachers as Learners and Teachers of Mathematics
Author: Richardson, Sue Ellen
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Preschool Teachers,Early Childhood Education,Mathematics Instruction,Young Children,Laboratory Schools,Teacher Education,Mathematics Curriculum,Teacher Attitudes,Coding,Student Interests,Knowledge Level,Females,Semi Structured Interviews,Social Theories

We explore early childhood teachers' lived experiences learning and teaching mathematics with young children, adding finer-grained context and detail to broader research descriptions. We interviewed ten early childhood teachers in a university laboratory school about their mathematics training, classroom mathematics curriculum, who controls their mathematics curriculum, and their mathematics teaching and learning philosophies for young children. Analysis included coding for Bourdieu's (Grenfell, 1996) social field theory. Results highlight social factors that influence what early childhood teachers do and teach, such as standards, regulations, administration, research, university organization, parents, and children. Teachers worked with autonomy and competence; mathematics teacher educators should leverage early childhood teachers' interest in young children. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
An Investigation of PreK-8 Preservice Teachers&apos; Construction of Fraction Schemes and Operations
Author: Busi, Rich
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Fractions,Elementary School Teachers,Middle School Teachers,Preservice Teachers,Mathematical Concepts,Concept Formation,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Mathematics Tests,Scoring Rubrics,Coding,Statistical Analysis

Supporting students to build robust fraction schemes and operations is an enduring challenge in mathematics education. Recent research has explored a developmental trajectory of fractions schemes and operations constructed by upper-elementary and middle school students in an effort to support student learning. This study broadened the existing research by investigating PreK-8 preservice teachers' construction of fractions schemes and operations. This paper specifically explores data from PreK-8 preservice teachers regarding one scheme (Iterative Fraction Scheme) and way of operating (Three Level Units Coordination). Results focus on 13 special cases that disagreed with current conceptions of the developmental trajectory. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]
Noticing Student Mathematical Thinking in the Complexity of Classroom Instruction
Author: Stockero, Shari L.
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Mathematics Instruction,Attention,Mathematical Logic,Cognitive Processes,Intervention,Secondary School Mathematics,Video Technology,Coding,Student Characteristics

Noticing students' mathematical thinking is recognized as a key element of effective instruction, but novice teachers do not naturally attend to and make sense of student thinking. We describe a design experiment in which prospective teachers were engaged in analysis of minimally edited classroom video in order to support their ability to notice important student mathematical thinking within the complexity of classroom instruction. We discuss evidence of prospective teachers' learning in five iterations of the intervention, including the extent to which they developed a focus on students' mathematics, changes in the ways they discussed that mathematics, and the extent to which they focused on instances of student mathematics that had potential to be capitalized on to support student learning. Aspects of the intervention that seemed to support teachers' noticing are discussed, as well as future directions for the work. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583989.]