Using Improvement Research to Design Language and Literacy Supports for Developmental Mathematics Teaching and Learning

• In Event: 70.025 - Understanding the Role Participation and Communication Play in Mathematical Understanding

Abstract

This paper analyzes a design-based research initiative to improve student access to writing and reading in developmental mathematics. Using improvement research and in collaboration with community college mathematics faculty and researchers at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (Carnegie), the research team created four new lessons for Quantway®, a quantitative reasoning course. In this work, we draw inspiration from the Agile Software Design process. Among the tenants of the agile process is practice-focused and rapid feedback to improve design. Here we report on our team’s initial design and rapid cycles of improvement. This paper provides insight into how practice-focused collaboration between researchers and mathematics instructors can potentially lead to improved curricular design and teaching.

Authors

• Katherine Rodela, Washington State University

• Emily Horton, University of California - Los Angeles

• Kimberley Gomez, University of California - Los Angeles

• Louis M. Gomez, University of California - Los Angeles