Case study 1: Involving students in planning a discussion based curriculum

last updated:February 2010

Case study 1: Involving students in planning a discussion based curriculum
We chose this study because it shows how deliberate changes in teacher practice were introduced which followed students’ preferred ways of working. The new focus included active learning and discussion based activities in the revamped mathematics curriculum.

What was the background and aims of the study?
The study took place in a mixed comprehensive school near Cambridge. The research arose from a perception in the mathematics department that the school needed to improve the motivation, engagement and mathematical experience of lower attaining students at Key Stage 4 and a desire from teachers to discover students’ perception of what helped them to learn.

The aims of the study included to:

• identify the types of activity which encouraged deep learning;
• discover the type of activity that students believed best helped them to learn; and
• improve teaching and learning by use of collaborative planning and the sharing of resources.

What methods did the school use?
Faculty conference
The project was launched at a conference day for all mathematics teaching staff. The day included:

• discussion of beliefs and what constitutes rich tasks and deep learning;
• development of a model ‘excellent maths lesson’;
• planning the observation and feedback of lessons; and
• design of student questionnaires/focus groups.

A second faculty meeting was held some months later to feed back the results of the student survey and discuss the implications this had for teaching.

Use of collaborative planning and observation of lessons to encourage deep learning
The collaboratively planned research lessons were taught by one teacher and observed by at least one other member of staff. Feedback from observations was shared.

Teachers involved trialled and adapted various activities for different groups of students. Teachers began to focus on the intended learning outcome rather than the age or ability of the group as had previously been the case.

The activities used in the research lessons encouraged most or all of the following:

• collaboration;
• discussion;
• reasoning;
• generalisation; and
• practical activity.

Student survey and focus groups
A questionnaire was given to a random sample of 10% of students in Years 7-10. The questionnaire asked students what they thought of mathematics lessons generally and which activities they particularly liked or found useful.  This was followed up by some student focus groups to gather more detail.

Most students were clear that active learning through discussion and collaboration in small groups without text books was their favoured method of working. Problem solving was frequently mentioned positively in the focus groups. Students thought teachers talked too much and also did not like being asked to work quietly. There were several revealing comments in this regard:

'I don't like it when the teacher does the work on the board - sometimes you just want to do it yourself.'

'It's when the work gets hard that you need talk.'

Student feedback also flagged up where some activities were over-used:

'Sometimes we get fed up of card sorts and sticking them down, we might only do it a bit in maths but we do a lot in other subjects as well. Some days you might do it in five different lessons - that's a lot of sticking!' (Year 8 student)

What were the outcomes from the study?
Through lesson observation and student feedback the study concluded that effective classroom activities contained characteristics including:

• simple and clear presentation with minimum text;
• encouragement of  collaboration and discussion;
• problems that can be solved in several different ways;
• encouragement of generalisations; and
• offering challenge, extension and opportunities for feedback.

Changes to teaching practice which resulted from this study included:

• limiting teacher talk time to 10 minutes wherever possible;
• sparing use of text books;
• practising skills limited to 10 minute bursts; and
• using images and equipment for active learning where possible.

The quality and focus of discussions within the department shifted away from classroom management towards teaching and learning as a result of the research. Collaboration and discussion between teachers and learners was identified as the key to improving both the teaching and learning of mathematics.

Reference
Harding, K. (2008) Increasing student engagement and motivation at key stage 4 by promoting deeper learning in mathematics.
National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics grant final report