A Co-Inquiry to Promote Access, Agency, and Justification Activity in Algebra II Classrooms

• In Event: Agency and Voice in the Math Classroom

Abstract

Despite extensive efforts, justification in mathematics classrooms is not widespread. Justification however has the potential to promote more equitable outcomes by providing access to, and agency with, mathematics. We detail a year-long co-inquiry with an Algebra II study group at an urban high school to establish justification as a regular classrooms practice. The key concepts, access and agency, resonated with teachers and guided efforts to promote justification. Qualitative analysis of study group sessions produced four themes which focused the teachers’ work: collaboration, task design, unit analysis, and making sense of justification. Although the extent of student justification was modest, these themes reveal a possible path for instantiating more extensive justification with an eye toward equity goals.

Authors

• Megan E. Staples, University of Connecticut

• Serena Anthonypillai, University of Connecticut

• Kristen Bieda, Michigan State University

• Isabella Llano, University of Connecticut