Teacher Engagement and Exploration of Productive Struggle: The Significance of Norms

• In Event: AERA Virtual Poster Session 8
  In Poster Session: Research on the Complexity of Learning Environments

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine one of the findings of a case study meant to explore a novice teacher’s engagement of supporting productive student struggle. This study suggests the potential importance of establishing norms to support the facilitation of productive struggle. Inductive analysis on written documents, video recordings, semi-structured interviews, and written survey questions support this finding. An important implication for supporting struggle includes establishing classroom norms and mathematical practices that help to facilitate struggle without decreasing the rigor of the tasks. Research is needed to explore how social norms assist teachers in facilitating student struggle and which social norms assist in the development of productive student dispositions towards learning mathematics.

Authors

• Tegan William Nusser, Bradley University

• Sherri Martinie, Kansas State University