Project Description
Teachers think and talk a lot about teaching. They reflect on how their classes are going and they constantly reevaluate what they are doing. And it isn’t just the teachers who think about teaching. We have all been there in the classroom as a student. We have observed many teachers. After class we may have lengthy discussions about all the things we like and dislike about what the teacher is doing.
At the end of the day we all have experiences and opinions about teaching. We read about it, and some write about it. Maybe it is a news article, maybe it is a blog post. Maybe we watch a Youtube video where someone expresses an opinion on teaching.
But: What does the research show?
You read an news article where the journalist interviews a researcher in pedagogy. And the researcher will make reference to research with statements like “research shows that ...”
The central problem in this project is the question:What does the research show about how to teach mathematics and how we learn?
In this project we are not going to do the actual research on how to teach. We are not wanting to test out specific theories of pedagogy. We will take a critical look at the work that has already been done. (The word “critical” doesn’t necessarily mean something negative.) This may not sound like “research” to you, but it is. It is sometimes called a meta-analysis or a literature review.
Often doing work like this may be reserved for the seasoned researcher who already has experience researching math pedagogy. But what would happen if we took a group of students with no (or little) actual teaching experience and asked them to take a look at this? Well, that is exactly what this project is about.
Prerequisites
This project has the risk of being overly broad so we will narrow our focus right away by only looking at research in undergraduate mathematics education 1 (sometimes called RUME). This project is for anyone who has an interest in mathematics education. Are you the person who likes discussion and likes to think critically about the world, then this project may be for you. Are you considering becoming a teacher (at any level) and are you curious about the state of “the research”, then this project may be for you. The only strict requirements is that you show up ready to work. This project isn’t an “easy” option. We will have a lot of reading. You will be responsible for taking charge of this project. The advisor on this project will not just assign you endless readings, you will have to determine what we need to be reading. Since the focus for our discussions will be undergraduate mathematics education it will be helpful if you have taken at least a years worth of college level mathematics courses at the start of the REU.
During the six weeks you will present your research to the wider community at Youngstown State University and you will be set up to present this also at your home institution or at a conference.
All students will be required to participate actively. It is expected that you arrive at the REU with an open mind and ready to hear and understand many perspectives on the issues in front of us. You may be required to complete some reading before arriving at the REU.