The Teaching for PROWESS (TfP) project continues to lead the way in transforming mathematics education in the first two years of college. Project leadership, along with faculty from Phase 1 and 2 colleges, kicked off Summer 2024 with the AMATYC Summer Institute for Active Learning, held at Clackamas Community College’s Harmony Campus in Portland, OR from June 19-22. This exciting event brought together 4-person college teams from Pellissippi State CC, North Iowa Area CC, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Arkansas State University - Beebe, Trident Technical College, Kansas City Kansas CC, Oakland CC, Gallatin College, Weber State University, Fox Valley Technical College, Valencia College, and Frederick CC. These twelve college teams were selected from among 33 applications, all from college teams eager to explore innovative active learning teaching practices to transform their classrooms and their departments.
The institute focused on three key themes: Setting the Stage for Active Learning, Facilitating Active Learning, and Departmental Transformation.
Setting the Stage for Active Learning
Sessions at the start of the institute included a focus on modernizing mathematics curriculum by organizing courses around big ideas and developing anchor problems to support them. An anchor problem is an interesting real-world context or a significant open-ended conceptual problem in which a big mathematical idea is deeply embedded and naturally emerges as students investigate and problem solve. A course designed around big ideas provides students with the best opportunities to make sense of the mathematics and connect new information with their prior understanding. Several examples were provided and participants explored anchor problems from both student’s and instructor’s perspectives. Also included in this theme was a focus on building a classroom community where thinking, sharing ideas, making mistakes, and learning together is sustainable and valued.
One participant noted, “I loved that just about every session started by breaking up into groups, followed by an actual problem that the participants were asked to tackle. What a great way to introduce any faculty to active learning, while providing materials that proved to work well in a classroom!”
Facilitating Active Learning
Many sessions at the institute focused on teacher facilitation strategies, such as those outlined in Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl and 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematics Discussions by Margaret S. Smith and Mary Kay Stein. Facilitators modeled various active learning strategies, allowing participants to experience active learning first-hand before engaging in debrief sessions. In one such debrief, participants used the Observation Protocol for Active Learning (OPAL), developed by members of the TfP research team, to identify particular teaching moves and components of the sample lessons which contributed to deeper student thinking and active engagement. “I have been familiar with Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) and active learning, but only through an academic approach,” remarked a participant. “The AMATYC Summer Institute allowed me to experience the BTC and active learning approach in a practical manner. I feel much more comfortable about introducing the BTC/Active Learning approach in my classes this fall.”
Another participant shared, “I've always been hesitant about student-to-student learning because I always thought of myself as the 'expert' in the room and had to teach the concepts personally for the students to get all the knowledge. After the AMATYC SI, I feel that I can now relinquish some of my 'control issues' in the classroom and allow my students to build their learning and understanding more by my 'guiding questions' approach.”
Departmental Transformation
The final day of the institute largely focused on Departmental Transformation, equipping participants with professional development models and decision-making tools. These sessions were designed to help teams become change agents within their departments after they return home. Plans for follow-up webinars and discussions for the coming academic year are already underway, ensuring these dedicated educators are supported during their journey to transform their classrooms and department cultures towards active learning.
The AMATYC Summer Institute for Active Learning set a new standard for professional development in mathematics education. By bringing together teams of faculty, rather than individuals, and giving participants opportunities to experience active learning first hand, the institute empowered educators to strengthen their teaching and their departments with a focus on engaging, student-centered learning environments. AMATYC and the Teaching for PROWESS leadership are already discussing future summer institutes on active learning as they continue to shape the future of mathematics education in the first two years of college. Be on the lookout for these opportunities through AMATYC, my.AMATYC.org, and the project website teachingforprowess.com.
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