Enhancing Students' Understanding of Mathematics: A Study of Three Contrasting Approaches to Professional Support |
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Authors: | Geoffrey B Saxe Maryl Gearhart Na'ilah Suad Nasir |
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Institution: | (1) Graduate School of Education, University of California, Berkeley, 4315 Tolman Hall, Berkeley, CA, 94720-1670;(2) University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, 4315 Tolman Hall, CA 94720-1670;(3) School of Education, Stanford University, 485 Lasuen Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA |
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Abstract: | This report provides evidence of the influence of professional development and curriculum on upper elementary students' understandings
of fractions. Three groups of teachers and their students participated. Two groups implemented a fractions unit that emphasized
problem solving and conceptual understanding. The Integrated Mathematics Assessment (IMA) group participated in a program
designed to enhance teachers' understandings of fractions, students' thinking, and students' motivation. The Collegial Support
(SUPP) group met regularly to discuss strategies for implementing the curriculum. Teachers in the third group (TRAD) valued
and used textbooks and received no professional development support. Contrasts of student adjusted posttest scores revealed
group differences on two scales. On the conceptual scale, IMA classrooms achieved greater adjusted posttest scores than the
other two groups, with no differences between SUPP and TRAD groups. On the computation scale, contrasts revealed no differences
between IMA and TRAD, although TRAD achieved greater adjusted scores than SUPP (p < 0.10). Our findings indicate that the benefits of reform curriculum for students may depend upon integrated professional
development, one form exemplified by the IMA program.
This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. |
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