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Eric.ed.gov – A Constructivist Approach to the Design and Delivery of an Online Professional Development Course: A Case of the iEARN Online Course

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This study examined the International Education and Resource Network Science Technology and Math (iEARN-STM) online professional development course. The study used the constructivist framework as the conceptual model to examine the way in which the constructivist theory has shaped the design and implementation of the course, as reflected by the interactions of a cohort of participants in the course. The participants were 28 educators enrolled in the course, who were either teacher educators or teachers, working in different educational institutions in different countries throughout the world. The purpose of the study was to understand how the iEARN online professional development course supported teachers’ learning through effective discourse in an online environment and to identify the constructivist learning principles that were behind the success of the course. The… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Impacts of a Discussion-Based Academic Language Program on Classroom Interactions in 4th through 7th Grades

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This paper presents an exploratory analysis of treatment-control differences in the quality of classroom interactions in 4th through 7th grade urban classrooms. Word Generation (WG) is a research-based academic language program for middle school students designed to teach novel vocabulary and literacy through language arts, math, science, and social studies classes. Previous research found significant positive effects of WG on classroom discussion quality, and this study extends that work by examining whether specific classroom interactions that are integral to the WG program, such as those promoting analysis and inquiry or engaging adolescent perspectives, are higher quality in WG classrooms as compared to control classrooms. As part of the Institute of Education Sciences funded project “Catalyzing Comprehension through Discussion and Debate” (CCDD), the data for this study were… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – From 1 to Z: Integrating Math and Language Learning.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Techniques for integrating English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction and mathematics instruction, particularly the language of mathematics, are discussed. Focus here is on mathematics instruction for limited-English-speaking students in the mainstream classroom. First, examples of the academic language of mathematics that students must develop are outlined. Some instructional techniques that incorporate students’ own language and background in the construction of mathematics concepts and formal mathematics register are then offered. These include: techniques to make mathematics lessons more comprehensible and ways to promote interaction and provide a classroom environment conducive to language and literacy acquisition; methods for maintaining high expectations for language minority students and helping them develop higher-order cognitive and metacognitive skills and strategies; and assessment of language development alongside conceptual knowledge. A concluding discussion looks at the roles of… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – College Science and Mathematics Teaching Faculty Talk about Science and Mathematics: An Examination of the Role of Discourse in an Upper Elementary/Middle-Level Teacher Preparation Program.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This research employs a mixed theoretical perspective drawing on elements from interactionism and social constructivism. In this study, a discourse analysis is performed on conversations among intra- and inter-institutional mathematics and science teaching faculty participating in reforming content classes for teacher candidates in the Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation (MCTP), a National Science Foundation funded project. The goal of this study was to begin the process of painting a picture of the discourse landscape that higher education math and science teachers inhabit when the referent in their thinking is science and mathematics, two disciplines the MCTP project hopes to connect. The assumption is that this information will assist in understanding math and science teaching faculty’s beliefs and actions taken in designing and teaching undergraduate teacher preparation science… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Code-Switching Explorations in Teaching Early Number Sense

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: New semiotic perspectives about the role of language in mathematics education indicate that teachers have a fundamental role in communicating and teaching the language that carries mathematical meaning. However, little is known about how educators of young children understand and use the language of mathematics. This study addresses this void. Supported by the understanding that mathematics has its own language (Pimm, 1987), the study focuses on code switching–the mixing of words from two languages–by educators as they shift between the language of instruction and the language of mathematics. A qualitative multiple case study approach utilizing discourse analysis was used to explore three early years teachers’ math talk. Findings indicate that these educators code-switched to the mathematics register when they talked about numbers, number words and counting, to… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Development of Metacognitive and Discursive Activities in Indonesian Maths Teaching: A Theory Based Design and Test of a Learning Environment

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: We report on a German-Indonesian design research project, which aims to significantly increase the mathematical skills of secondary school students. Since results of international comparative studies have shown that there exists a relationship between metacognition and learning success, a learning environment for the beginning with secondary school mathematics in class seven has been developed, in order to significantly enhance metacognitive and discursive activities of students and teachers. The effectiveness of the approach has been tested in a secondary school several times. In this paper the theoretical background for the design of the learning environment is described, some sample exercises are presented and student productions from the project lessons analysed. Link til kilde

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Eric.ed.gov – Scrutinizing Two Finnish Teachers’ Instructional Rationales and Perceived Tensions in Enacting Student Participation in Mathematical Discourse

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This study employs interviews and observations to investigate instructional rationales of two purposefully sampled teachers with divergent classroom discourse practices in Swedish-speaking Finnish lower secondary mathematics classrooms. Studies on classroom discourse often point to beliefs and contextual factors shaping teachers’ discourse practices. Less is known about how tensions perceived by teachers can influence the instructional rationale in a context such as Finland, known for traditional and teacher-centered mathematics instruction. The findings of this study suggest that these Finnish teachers’ instructional rationales for differently enacted classroom-discourse practices are grounded in similar concerns of student needs, related to student learning, well-being, and equity. One of the teachers perceived tension between these concerns and mathematics education literature’s ideals of classroom discourse and avoided engaging students in discussions other than in… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – The Role of Language Objectives: Strengthening Math and Science Teachers’ Language Awareness with Emergent Bilinguals in Secondary Classrooms

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This study focuses on the linguistic foundation of sound pedagogic practices related to non-language content areas referring especially to language objectives; it employ Tharp and Gallimore’s theory on learning: making teaching visible in order to develop the students’ thinking. In the contexts of training both before and after service, a study was conducted on how secondary-science and math teachers contextualize their own teaching according to Emergent Bilinguals (EBs) by using interviews and focus group discussions. Findings reveal that teachers gradually develop an increased sense of importance of language objectives over time. The strengths and challenges highlighted through the study show the need for increased teacher training in the area of teacher language awareness (TLA). So far, the predominance of TLA in the classrooms has been on language,… Continue Reading