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With evidence mounting on the benefits of equity-minded and active mathematics instruction, increasing numbers of mathematics faculty members are seeking to transform their instruction. Yet, many lack the skills and/or confidence to make the transition. To support faculty in meaningful instructional improvement, the authors of this paper facilitate frequent and innovative professional development (PD) guided by a community of practice framework. PD is intentionally designed to be incremental and supportive. Using one-on-one interview data from ten faculty participants who participated in PD on equity-minded and active mathematics instruction, we report on three crucial characteristics of a community of practice: the domain, the community, and the practice. Findings have implications for mathematics departments that aspire to support instructors to transform their teaching. Incremental PD guided by a community of practice framework could support faculty through the challenges of instructional transformation.
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“Looking Outside of my Bubble”: Whiteness-at-Work in Mathematics Faculty Sensemaking about Serving Latin* Students
Professional development (PD) is often recommended to equip faculty to serve racially minoritized students through instruction. However, limited work has examined equity-oriented PD for mathematics faculty, who often hold views of instruction as race-neutral. This contributed report explores the influence of a two-year PD for faculty in a mathematics department engaged in equity-oriented reform at a Hispanic-Serving Institution. We present two cases of white faculty members who demonstrated a limited ability to interrogate their white racial identities in relation to their instructional impact, despite their engagement in a sustained PD designed to promote racial equity. Implications are provided for equity-oriented PD for mathematics faculty.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1953472
- PAR ID:
- 10501499
- Editor(s):
- Cook, S.; Katz, B.; Moore-Russo, D.
- Publisher / Repository:
- Special Interest Group of the Mathematical Association of America on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education (SIGMAA on RUME)
- Date Published:
- ISSN:
- 2474-9346
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 270-278
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- whiteness faculty pedagogical reasoning Hispanic-Serving Institutions
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Location:
- Omaha, NE
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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