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Professional Development Focused on Children’s Algebraic Reasoning in Elementary School

Professional Development Focused on Children’s Algebraic Reasoning in Elementary School. Research Article Discussion led by Gwenanne Salkind & David Van Vleet. Background. Authors Jacobs, Franke, Carpenter, Levi, Battey Algebra Algebra is the gatekeeper

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Professional Development Focused on Children’s Algebraic Reasoning in Elementary School

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  1. Professional Development Focused on Children’s Algebraic Reasoning in Elementary School Research Article Discussion led by Gwenanne Salkind & David Van Vleet

  2. Background Authors • Jacobs, Franke, Carpenter, Levi, Battey Algebra • Algebra is the gatekeeper • Transition from arithmetic to algebra • Algebraic reasoning Professional Development • Little evidence of the effects of PD

  3. Purpose • To investigate the effects of using algebraic reasoning as the centerpiece of professional development for teachers in Grades 1-5 in an urban, low-performing school district

  4. The Authors describe: • Their conceptualization of algebraic reasoning • Their approach to professional development

  5. Relational Thinking “Relational thinking represents a fundamental shift from an arithmetic focus (calculating answers) to an algebraic focus (examining relations)” (p. 260). • What do the authors mean by this? • What is relational thinking?

  6. Relational Thinking • Understanding the Equal Sign7 + 5 =  + 6 • Using Number Relations to Simplify Calculations(9 x 57) + 57 =  • Generalizations0 + b = b

  7. Professional Development • What was the researchers’ approach to professional development? • What were the goals of the professional development? • What were the researchers’ beliefs about effective professional development? • What was the structure of the professional development?

  8. Professional Development • Sustained, ongoing • Connected to teachers’ work with their students • Focused on student thinking • Explored the mathematics • Created classroom tools (index cards) • Counter-storytelling • On-site support

  9. Measures • What measures did the researchers use to evaluate the professional development?

  10. Measures Student Measures • Written mathematics tests • Relational-thinking interviews Teacher Measures • Survey of students’ experience with with algebraic-reasoning tasks • Written mathematics tests • Interviews to assess teachers’ knowledge of student thinking

  11. What were the findings? Teacher Measures • Survey of students’ experience with algebraic-reasoning tasks • Written mathematics tests • Interviews to assess teachers’ knowledge of student thinking

  12. What were the findings? Student Measures • Written mathematics tests • Equality subtest • Targeted-computation subtest • Solving-equations subtest • Generalizations subtest • Relational-thinking interviews

  13. Findings • What findings make sense to you? • What findings surprised you?

  14. Reflections • What does this study contribute to the research on teaching and learning mathematics? • What ideas can you take from this study as you plan your own research?

  15. Reference Jacobs, V. R., Franke, M. L., Carpenter, T. P., Levi, L., & Battey, D. (2007). Professional development focused on children’s algebraic reasoning in elementary school. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 38(3), 258-288.

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