Co-Designing Digital Clinical Simulations with Students of Color to Support Equitable Mathematics Instruction

• In Event: Advancing Math Motivation, Engagement and Persistence: Insights from Digital Interventions and Research-Practice Partnerships

Abstract

Objectives: Simulations, or online practice opportunities that feature vignettes of classroom life, allow teachers to refine their instructional strategies (Cohen et al., 2020; Reich, 2022). While simulations for mathematics educators often focus on ambitious instruction, the enactment of this instruction does not always result in equitable outcomes for marginalized students (Author1, XXXX; Author2 et al., XXXX). To authentically incorporate students’ perspectives on equity into simulations, we co-designed digital clinical simulations (DCS) with students of color. The resulting simulations highlighted how students operationalized teachers’ actions as encouraging their motivation, persistence, and belonging in the mathematics classroom.

Theoretical perspectives: During simulations, teachers practice instructional strategies within pre-designed scenarios to improve their decision-making within the classroom (Grossman et al., 2009). Mathematics teachers engaging in simulations often practice ambitious teaching, such as engaging students in productive struggle with rich mathematical tasks (Shaughnessy & Boerst, 2018). Practicing equitable instruction within simulations, however, is difficult to conceptualize because it depends on the interrelationship among students, teachers, and content (Author1, XXXX; Author2 et al., XXXX). Thus, practicing ambitious and equitable teaching moves and designing simulations that support this remains a challenge. To address that challenge, we co-designed DCS with students, incorporating their mathematics classroom experiences into the simulations.

Methods and data sources: Using participatory design research (Booker & Goldman, 2016; Penuel et al., 2019), our team created and facilitated a 3-day workshop where high school students reflected on their mathematical experiences to develop simulations for teacher learning. During this workshop, they shared stories from their learning journeys and engaged in re-storying to imagine more affirming classroom experiences (Bang & Vossoughi, 2016). These experiences and their re-storying were mapped as decision trees, or design templates representing branching decisions, that were integrated into a DCS platform as individual simulations. We categorized the resulting simulations within three strands of onto-epistemic tensions in mathematics teaching (Horn & Garner, 2022).

Results: The nine simulations that emerged from the design institute represented three strands of onto-epistemic tensions. Five focused on creating spaces where all students’ ideas are valued and incorrect answers present learning opportunities. Two centered on assessment tools that promote persistence and growth through revision, and two emphasized equal-status interactions to broaden participation.

One simulation depicts a small group discussion where a student leaves his group after feeling his ideas were dismissed following a wrong answer. The scenario prompts teachers to facilitate discourse that values all contributions and re-engages students, addressing equity concerns about whose voices are heard. In Figure 1, the teacher must decide how to intervene. The intentionally “gray” choices reflect students’ input during co-design, as they stressed the need for multiple options without signaling a single correct answer. This design choice, which acknowledges that classroom situations are rarely black and white, demonstrated that students recognized the nuanced and often complex realities of teaching.

Significance and implications: Designing DCS with students can offer teachers a reflective space to better engage with the complexities of creating ambitious learning experiences that also promote equity by incorporating the perspectives of students, the primary stakeholders.

Authors

• Pelin Jackson, Boston University

• Juliana Isabela Ayala, Boston University

• Arielle Vargas, Boston University

• Gregory Benoit, Boston University

• Erin Barno, ETS