Examining the Varieties of Implementation within Nudge-Based Incremental Professional Development for Secondary Mathematics Teachers

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 11:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: A Symposium of Innovative Attempts Toward Incremental Change for Mathematics Teachers

Abstract

Drawing on lesson observation data from a multi-year, PD-based research project, this contribution to the symposium examines the variety of implementations that arise among 48 secondary mathematics teachers across 14 states. The larger project is investigating a nudge-based approach to incremental PD (Authors, YEAR1), wherein the teachers receive “instructional nudges” (modest suggestions of teaching moves or task types that can be used with students but have the freedom of choice about which to implement and how to implement them. The PD offering is entirely contained in one-page nudge sheets; there are no training sessions nor collaborative reflection opportunities provided because the intent is to test a teacher-driven PD model with minimal time requirements placed on the teachers. This nudge-based approach is intended to contrast with and potentially complement the more intensive transformational PD programs that seek profound changes in the participating teachers’ practice (e.g., Heck et al., 2019; Smith et al., 2009).

Because of the teachers’ central role in deciding how to enact the nudges, rather than the PD leaders setting a target for “fidelity of implementation” (Jacobs et al., 2017), it is important to examine the ways in which the nudges did play out in the lessons. The present report is based on 3 lesson observation videos from each of the 48 secondary mathematics teachers who received access to a set of instructional nudges. Two research team members viewed each video (n=144) and marked instances (moments in the video where a nudge was named and implemented explicitly) and resemblances (moments in the video where it seemed as though a nudge was occurring but the teacher and students did not explicitly name it as such) of the instructional nudges. Any flagging discrepancies were brought to the full research team for reconciliation.

This presentation will feature two nudges—one recommended for the start of a lesson and one recommended for the end. FIRST, ATTEMPT is a nudge based on a meta-analysis (Sinha & Kapur, 2021) showing the value of having students try their own problem-solving approach before the teacher explicates a procedure; it is the suggestion to teachers to give their students a brief amount of time to try a new problem before the teacher explains it or models a worked example. Examples will be shared from data showing variations in the lesson placement of the FIRST, ATTEMPT enactments, in the duration, and in the connections drawn between the student attempts and the teacher’s subsequent instruction. PUT A BOW ON IT is a nudge that suggests teachers briefly summarize the main mathematical idea of the lesson before students pack up and depart the classroom. This was reported as one of the teachers’ favorite nudges teachers (Authors, YEAR3) and its implementation varied in duration, in modality of delivery, and in student involvement during implementation.

These results will be discussed in terms of the implications for incremental PD that does not include pedagogical training (trust rather than fidelity) and the potential dangers of nudges that are implemented in unintended, deleterious ways.

Authors

• Samuel Otten, University of Missouri

• Zandra de Araujo, University of Florida

• Amber Grace Candela, University of Missouri - St. Louis