Intellectual challenge and teacher-set goals in Nordic lower secondary mathematics classrooms
QUINT PhD Fellows Jóhann Örn Sigurjónsson, University of Iceland and Alexander Jonas Viktor Selling, University of Oslo present recent findings from their projects on teaching quality in Math lessons in the Nordic countries.
Description
This presentation focuses on two distinct elements of teaching quality, intellectual challenge and goal clarity, building on data from lower secondary mathematics classrooms in the LISA Nordic dataset. We present results on intellectual challenge in Iceland in connection to results from an investigation of teacher-set goals in a broader Nordic context.
On the one hand, the presentation focuses on the academic rigor of mathematical tasks and activities. A key question is to what extent teachers emphasize student understanding of mathematical concepts and interconnections between them. On the other hand, the presentation focuses on both the explicitness of the stated goals, as well as on what types of goals teachers set. It can be argued that an aspect of student understanding is comprehending the purpose of the content and activities of a lesson. Using two distinct frameworks, we found that learning goals were often vague and mostly targeted content. Consequently, stated learning goals seldom targeted more complex aspects, such as mathematical competencies and applications of mathematics. Furthermore, teachers rarely utilized consolidation activities, in which learning goals were clarified or put into a context.
Discussion points
- What affordances and limitations exist in the interplay between intellectual challenge and teacher-set goals?
- What role could explicit goals have in supporting intellectual challenge?
Resources
Sigurjónsson, J. Ö., & Gísladóttir, B. (2020). Vitsmunaleg áskorun í stærðfræðikennslu á unglingastigi [Intellectual challenge in mathematics teaching in lower secondary schools]. Icelandic Journal of Education, 29(2), 149–172.
English version of the paper (Restricted access)
Moderators
Professor Kirsti Klette, University of Oslo
Target group
This webinar is limited to researchers at QUINT, would you like to attend, contact the organisers.