Research has pointed to the need to support mathematics teachers through sustained professional development. Teacher learning communities, where teachers come together for collective work, have been suggested as one productive context for teacher learning. However, those who facilitate the discussions (the facilitators) play a key role in ensuring that learning occurs. Recent work has provided initial images of facilitation practice, yet little is known about how to support facilitators in developing such practices.
To attend to this need, we are conducting a multi-year design-based research project. Our research project has two overarching goals:
1) Pragmatically, we aim to support the work of facilitators in planning and leading mathematics teacher learning communities.
2) We also aim to generate theory regarding how novice facilitators learn to facilitate communities that are productive for teacher learning.
For this project, we have partnered with pedagogical mathematics consultants from three English school boards in Quebec. The project entails: a) monthly meetings with researchers and consultants to support consultants in planning and leading teacher learning community meetings; b) monthly or bi-weekly teacher learning community meetings led by the consultants; c) classroom observations of lessons planned in the teacher learning community meetings. Data includes video recordings and field notes of the different components of the project and interviews with consultants and teachers.
This research project is funded by the Minist猫re d l脡ducation et de l鈥橢nseignement sup茅rieur du Qu茅bec (2013-2017).
Research Team:
Marta Kobiela (平特五不中), Kara Jackson (University of Washington), Annie Savard (平特五不中), Terry Lin (Ministry of Education), Scosha Merovitz (平特五不中/Bishops University), Vandana Chandrasekhar (平特五不中), Hailey Iacono (平特五不中), Saba Din (平特五不中), Cheryl Cantin (平特五不中)
Contact:
Marta Kobiela, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE)
Faculty of Education, 平特五不中
Department of Integrated Studies in Education
3700 McTavish
Montreal, Quebec H3A 1Y2
marta.kobiela [at] mcgill.ca
(514) 398-4527 Ext. 094466聽
