Unpacking China's Mathematics Instruction With a U.S.-Based Observational Framework: Evidence From 14 Teachers

• In Event: 72.049 - Roundtable Session 34
  In Roundtable Session: 72.049-13 - Understanding Effective Instructional Practices in Mathematics Education

Abstract

This study used Teaching for Robust Understanding of Mathematics (TRU Math) to examine fourteen high school mathematics teachers’ instructional practices in China. By comparing TRU Math to the local instrument, we found that TRU Math conceptualizes teaching and learning as an integral whole and highly values students’ learning experience, which is aligned with China’s goal of educational reforms. We used the framework to score three types of lessons, and discussed several patterns emerged from the ratings across lesson types, such as teachers’ limited use of formative assessment. Finally, we reflected on the affordances and limitations of using TRU Math to unpack China’s mathematics instruction and argued that researchers and practitioners should cautiously and critically use an observational tool cross-culturally.

Authors

• Sihua Hu, Michigan State University

• Wei Liao, Michigan State University