Post-16 networking in England to share active learning approaches to mathematics/numeracy

ALM 15 - 3rd July 2008

Viv BrownRegional Coordinator UK NEviv.brown@ncetm.org.uk

www.ncetm.org.uk

A UK government initiative in England

Working collaboratively to enhance mathematics teaching across all sectors – primary, secondary and further education.

It aims to raise the professional status of all those engaged in the teaching of mathematics so that the mathematical potential of learners will be fully realised.

Poster activity

Work together in twos or threes

Produce a poster

All you know about 2.09

Background

• Malcolm Swan & Muriel Green (2002) Learning Mathematics Through Discussion and Reflection, LSDA

• Malcolm Swan (2006) Collaborative Learning in Mathematics: a challenge to our beliefs and practices, NIACE

• Bruce Joyce & Beverly Showers (1993) The Coaching of Teaching

• ACME (2002) Continuing Professional Development for Teachers of Mathematics

Background

• Professor Adrian Smith’s Inquiry into Post-14 Mathematics Education (2004) ‘Making Mathematics Count’

• 2004 ... appointment of Professor Celia Hoyles OBE as Chief Adviser for Mathematics

• Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) – National teaching and learning change programme (from 2004) – a programme designed to transform teaching, training and learning in selected subjects in the post-16 sector

• 2006 – National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics www.ncetm.org.uk

Background

• Improving learning in mathematics: challenges and strategies

• All the background to the research and the active learning approaches

• Download from www.ncetm.org.uk

• Scroll down the homepage and click on ‘Improving learning in mathematics’

National Teaching andLearning ProgrammeResources

• (2005) Improving Learning in Mathematics– Available from the QIA Excellence Gateway

http://excellence.qia.org.uk

• (2007) Maths4Life – Thinking Through Mathematics

Networks

Subject Learning Coaches Professional Training Programme

Improving learningin mathematics• Malcolm Swan (2005) Improving learning in mathematics:

challenges and strategies

• 6 professional development sessions

• 51 teaching and learning sessions with resources• Mostly number• Mostly algebra• Mostly shape and space• Mostly statistics• Others

• Software

• Activity templates

Professional Development (1)Sorting belief statements

Discuss the statements and group them into categories -Agree, Disagree, Cannot decide

You may modify a statement if you wish

• Mathematics is best learned through practice.

• Mathematics is best learned through discussion.

• Learners learn mathematics best when they work on their own.

• Learners learn mathematics best when they work collaboratively.

………………………………

Professional Development 1Getting started

Sheet PD1.2 – How teachers describe their practices

Statements are rank ordered from most common to least common.

MeanLearners start with easy questions and work up to harder questions. . 4.26I tell learners which questions to tackle.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.02I teach the whole group at once. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.90I know exactly what maths the lesson will contain.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.80Learners learn through doing exercises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.67I try to cover everything in a topic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.56I avoid learners making mistakes by explaining things carefully first. . . . 3.31

Each statement was rated as follows:1 = almost never, 2 = occasionally, 3 = half the time, 4= most of the time;5 = almost always.The sample consists of 120 teachers and trainers from more than 60 providers.

Professional Development 1Getting started

Sheet PD1.3 – How learners describe their learning strategies

Statements are rank ordered from most common to least common.

MeanI listen while the teacher explains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.28I copy down the method from the board or textbook.. . . . . . . . . 4.15I only do questions I am told to do. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.88I work on my own.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.72I try to follow all the steps of a lesson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.71I do easy problems first to increase my confidence. . . . . . . . . . 3.58I copy out questions before doing them. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.57

Each statement was rated as follows:1 = almost never, 2 = occasionally, 3 = half the time, 4 = most of the time;5 = almost always.The sample consists of 779 16–21 year old learners attending 44 different FE and sixth form colleges.

Professional Development 1Getting started

2. Looking at some research results

Give each participant a copy of PD1.2 – How teachers describe theirpractices and PD1.3 – How learners describe their learning strategies.

These show the results when a sample of 120 teachers working with779 learners following GCSE resit courses were asked to describetheir usual ways of working.

They clearly show that most teachers preferred ‘transmission’ waysof working, and most learners normally adopt ‘passive’ learningstrategies.

Discuss with participants:

Why do you think this is the case?

Improving learningin mathematics• Malcolm Swan (2005) Improving learning in mathematics:

challenges and strategies

• 6 professional development sessions

• 51 teaching and learning sessions with resources• Mostly number• Mostly algebra• Mostly shape and space• Mostly statistics• Others

• Software

• Activity templates

Principles of effective teaching

• Build on the knowledge learners bring to sessions.

• Expose and discuss common misconceptions.

• Develop effective questioning.

• Use cooperative small group work.

• Emphasise methods rather than answers.

• Use rich collaborative tasks.

• Create connections between mathematical topics.

• Use technology in appropriate ways.  

Types of teaching activity

• Classifying mathematical objects

• Interpreting multiple representations

• Evaluating mathematical statements

• Creating problems

• Analysing reasoning and solutions

Resourcesfor learning

• Posters

• Mini whiteboards

• Computer software

Networks

•Meet 3 times per year in each of the 9 LSC regions in England

•Provide opportunities to experience working together on active learning approaches

•Share ideas and resources

•Share experience of Subject Learning Coaches

•Receive updates on practitioner action research projects

Subject Learning Coaches

Kelly Hughes – Darlington College

"I was flying high after the GCSE results. Since I started using the ‘Improving Learning in Mathematics’ approaches, attending the networks and the Professional Training Programme and taking over GCSE maths in September 2006, our success rate has increased from 56% to 73%.”

Challenges

• Making networks self sustaining

• Whole organisation approach

• Organisation of mathematics in colleges

• Managers’ support

• Numeracy for employability

Reflective log

• What was different / helpful / new / creative / challenging about the presentation / session / activities?

• Would this session/activity be accessible to all learners?

• Would this activity engage my learners?

• Is there anything I would adapt in this session / activity for my learners?

• With whom will I share this?

• Could I run this session with my colleagues?

• What action will I take?

• When will I do this?

Post-16 networking in England to share active learning approaches to mathematics/numeracy

www.ncetm.org.uk

Viv BrownRegional Coordinator UK NEviv.brown@ncetm.org.uk