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Connecting mathematics with
the real world
Key issue addressed by the study
This study set out to explore:
– whether and how teachers used real-world connections in mathematics lessons
What the study found
Teachers:
– rarely connected mathematics problems to the
world of work
– did not feel prepared for making connections
– viewed their task mainly as imparting mathematical
skills rather than in applying mathematics
– avoided “language complex tasks” students that
might prove too challenging for students
Characteristics of real-world examples
teachers did use
Key features:
Teacher created from texts
– some found this difficult
Occasionally built on
students’ comments
Teacher adaptations
conceptual rather than
contextual
Not language-intensive
“Under-challenging” rather
than “over-challenging”
Types of real-world examples used by
teachers
Three main types commonly used:
– student - solved “word problem” eg calculating
quantities of manufactured objects
– examples referred to in teacher presentation eg
parabolic mirrors in car headlights
– extended challenge to be carried out as a project
Who were the participants in the study?
62 secondary mathematics teachers
How was the information gathered?
A survey of 62 mathematics teachers
Observation of 5 teachers in lessons likely to involve
real-world connections with mathematics
Comparing the outcomes from the survey with the
observations
How can teachers use the evidence in
this study?
Most real-world connections teachers used were
teacher-originated, but some teachers were able
to work with comments by students
Could you recruit a group of older/more able
students to help you construct some real-world
problems for students as an extension activity?
You might consider an activity which encourages
your students to draw on their own experiences,
and use their responses for planning the next
session
How can school leaders use the
evidence in this study?
Teachers in the study reported a lack of training/resources for making connections between mathematics and the real world
How could you help to provide your mathematics teachers with a starting point to including more and better real-world connections in their lessons? Can you identify members of staff who do this well and could take a lead helping other teachers develop their practice?
Follow-up reading
Study reference: Julie Gainsburg (2008): Real-world connections in secondary mathematics teaching Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, Vol. 11, No.3, pp 199-219
The full summary is available here: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ796464
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