Preparing Our Educators

First annual Morton Lecture provides insight for mathematics teaching

ATHENS, Ohio (Oct. 4, 2010)--Dr. Melissa D. Boston presented to students, faculty and staff of The Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education and Human Services during the first annual Robert L. Morton Lecture on Sept. 20 to Her lecture, titled “Linking Professional Development to Changes in Secondary Mathematics Teachers’ Instructional Practices,” discussed the importance of providing students with cognitively challenging tasks in their mathematics classes.

Boston and her colleagues conducted a study beginning in 2004 on the effectiveness of professional development for enhancing teachers’ selection of cognitively challenging tasks in mathematics, leading to improvements in students’ learning of math.

The study, “ESP Professional Development Initiative,” implemented six full-day sessions throughout the 2004-2005 school year and a one week summer workshop, titled “Becoming a Mentor.” Teachers participating in the study either volunteered or were recommended by peers.

“Not only did we want to enhance mentoring but a better quality of teachers as well,” Boston said.

The study focused on tasks and task implementation, practice-based professional development and tools to support teachers’ learning and instructional change.

Boston’s definition of a task is “any single problem or set of problems that address the same mathematical idea.” Tasks are further broken down into problem-solving tasks and procedures that are meant to define mathematical ideas. An example of a low-level task would be a long division problem, one to which there is a linear and systematic answer. An example of a high-level task would be a multi-step problem in which the student is asked to explain how he or she came to the answer and a deeper understanding of the mathematical theory involved.

According to Boston, 80 percent of time spent in math classes is used to solve tasks at varying levels of cognitive demand. There seems to be an imbalance of high-level cognitive demands in the U.S. curriculum, which may hinder the learning process for students.

“If all students are doing is completing procedures, they think that’s all that math is—they miss the excitement,” Boston said.

Through the ESP Professional Development Initiative, the teachers were engaged in cognitively challenging tasks as learners, providing insight into their students’ perceptions of the tasks and allowing them to more efficiently recognize and choose high-level tasks to implement in the classroom.

The teachers in the study were asked to submit samples of the coursework at select points in the year as well as student work. The teachers also completed pre and post assessments to document the study’s effectiveness on assisting them in pursuing more challenging methods.

Boston acknowledges the fact that, as teachers, it is instinctual to want to provide students with answers, but that it is necessary to challenge them to come up with answers on their own.

“We’re very nurturing…we’re very helpful, and therefore, remove a lot of the rigor of the coursework by being too eager to give students the answers,” Boston said.

Analysis of the study revealed that there was an increase in the teachers’ knowledge of cognitively challenging tasks and how to identify and implement them. The study also encouraged teachers to use more high-level tasks, which proved effective.

Boston currently serves as director of the Graduate Secondary Education Program and assistant professor in the Department of Instruction and Leadership in Education at Duquesne University.

Story by Ashley Showen.