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1. A Decomposition of the Teaching Practice of Building

   Leatham, K. R.; Van Zoest, L. R.; Peterson, B. E.; Stockero, S. L. (September 2022, NCTM Research Conference)

   We share a decomposition of building on MOSTs—a teaching practice that takes advantage of high-leverage instances of student mathematical contributions made during whole-class interaction. This decomposition resulted from an iterative process of teacher-researchers enacting conceptions of the building teaching practice that were refined based on our study of their enactments. We elaborate the four elements of building: (a) Establish the student mathematics of the MOST as the object to be discussed; (b) Grapple Toss that object in a way that positions the class to make sense of it; (c) Conduct a whole-class discussion that supports the students in making sense of the student mathematics of the MOST; and (d) Make Explicit the important mathematical idea from the discussion. We argue for the value of this practice in improving in-the-moment use of high-leverage student mathematical thinking during instruction. 

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2. Use of physics simulations in whole class and small group settings: Comparative case studies

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2015.02.014  

   Stephens, A Lynn; Clement, John J (August 2015, Computers & Education)

   Examination of matched whole class and small group discussions during use of an interactive physics simulation revealed that in the whole class discussions there was more time spent on important concepts, more time spent addressing student conceptual difficulties, and more episodes providing support for using visual features of the simulations. Abstract: This study investigates student interactions with simulations, and teacher support of those interactions, within naturalistic high school classroom settings. Two lesson sequences were conducted, one in 11 and one in 8 physics class sections, where roughly half the sections used the simulations in a small group format and matched sections used them in a whole class format. Unexpected pre/post results, previously reported, had raised questions about why whole class students, who had engaged in discussion about the simulations while observing them projected in front of the class, had performed just as well as small group students with hands-on keyboards. The present study addresses these earlier results with case studies (four matched sets of classes) of student and teacher activity during class discussions in one of the lesson sequences. Comparative analyses using classroom videotapes and student written work reveal little evidence for an advantage for the small group students for any of the conceptual and perceptual factors examined; in fact, if anything, there was a slight trend in favor of students in the whole class condition. We infer that the two formats have counter-balancing strengths and weaknesses. We recommend a mixture of the two and suggest several implications for design of instructional simulations. 

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3. Using Cultural Historical Activity Theory to Characterize Different Enactments of the LA Model

   Karch, J. M.; Mashhour, S.; Caspari-Gnann, I. (January 2023, NARST 96th Annual International Conference)

   Characterizing different enactments of instructional reform approaches is key to improving science education. The Learning Assistant (LA) model leads to many positive student outcomes in a wide range of STEM courses. However, discrepancies in outcomes in different introductory STEM courses have led to a call for more work investigating how the LA model is implemented. This multiple-case study seeks to bridge that gap by providing a high-resolution comparison of three LA-facilitated physics and chemistry courses at two institutions. We used cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) to characterize the activity systems of LA-facilitated interactions and the whole class discussion immediately following these interactions, to understand how instructors leveraged these interactions in their instruction and the roles LAs played in that integration. We found that integrating small group interactions lies on a spectrum based on the extent to which the instructors used student ideas (developed during small group discussion) as mediating artifacts in the whole class discussion, enabled by different divisions of labor and driven by instructors’ different goals. Furthermore, we found that LAs provided both conceptual and emotional support to students to support the integration. Implications for teaching with LAs, and for research on instructional reform more broadly will be discussed. 

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4. Conducting a whole class discussion about an instance of student mathematical thinking

   Stockero, S. L.; Peterson, B. E.; Leatham, K. R.; Van Zoest, L. R. (January 2022, Proceedings of the 44th annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education)

   Lischka, A. E.; Dyer, E. B.; Jones, R. S.; Lovett, J. N.; Strayer, J.; Drown, S. (Ed.)

   Productive use of student mathematical thinking is a critical aspect of effective teaching that is not yet fully understood. We have previously conceptualized the teaching practice of building on student mathematical thinking and the four elements that comprise it. In this paper, we begin to unpack this complex practice by looking closely at its third element, Conduct. Based on an analysis of secondary mathematics teachers' enactments of building, we describe the critical aspects of conducting a whole-class discussion that is focused on making sense of a high-leverage student contribution. 

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5. CONDUCTING A WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION ABOUT AN INSTANCE OF STUDENT MATHEMATICAL THINKING

   Stockero, S. L.; Peterson, B. E.; Leatham, K. R.; Van Zoest, L. R. (November 2022, Psychology of Mathematics Education)

   Lischka, A. E.; Dyer, E. B.; Jones, R. S.; Lovett, J. N.; Strayer, J.; Drown, S. (Ed.)

   Productive use of student mathematical thinking is a critical aspect of effective teaching that is not yet fully understood. We have previously conceptualized the teaching practice of building on student mathematical thinking and the four elements that comprise it. In this paper we begin to unpack this complex practice by looking closely at its third element, Conduct. Based on an analysis of secondary mathematics teachers’ enactments of building, we describe the critical aspects of conducting a whole-class discussion that is focused on making sense of a high-leverage student contribution. 

   more » « less