By Erin Moss, Co-Editor, DUE Point, Millersville University

Helping preservice teachers experience the exploratory nature of mathematics, develop their own mathematical questions, and challenge preconceived notions of who can be successful in the discipline are the ultimate aims of Focus on Inquiry and Equity in Mathematics for Education Faculty, an NSF DUE-funded project. In August 2019, the Center for Inquiry and Equity in Mathematics (CIEM) brought together twenty-one professors of mathematics education and seven professors of mathematics from the Center for Minorities in the Mathematical Sciences (minoritymath.org)—along with three additional project staff from Education Development Center—to spend a week immersed in questions of mathematics and equity. The faculty then collaborated in a variety of ways over the following year as they incorporated inquiry and equity into coursework for preservice teachers. The Principal Investigation team members Drs. Sarah Sword, Michael Young, and Amanda Jansen answer questions about this project below.

What kinds of mathematics questions did faculty investigate during their initial week together?

Our Fellows—mathematics and mathematics education faculty—posed and investigated questions together, drawing on their diverse expertise. For example, one pair of professors in mathematics education investigated questions of physical space in school classrooms and how inequities might be reflected in and exacerbated or mitigated by physical classroom setups. A mathematical biologist collaborated with them, drawing on his work modeling ant colonies to provide interdisciplinary insights on group dynamics. Other topics that faculty explored included the mathematics of gentrification, of gerrymandering, and of the game Spot It!

What has surprised you most about the implementation of your project?

In the original NSF proposal, we suggested that Fellows collaborate with each other via classroom visits following the institute. While this did happen, a wide variety of additional collaborations also emerged during the 2019-2020 academic year. We were surprised at the extent and variety of ways in which people would tap into each other’s expertise and experiences.

While our original vision was limited to classroom visits, when the Fellows themselves designed the collaborations, those collaborations were far more interesting and meaningful than anything we could have imagined in theory as we wrote the proposal. For example, some faculty collaborated on planning and facilitating a Zoom gathering for the whole group to explore issues of mutual interest about equity in mathematics teaching and learning. One group created a joint publication for a National Council of Teachers of Mathematics journal.

In the changed landscape of a COVID-19 spring, some collaborators drew on their collective expertise to lead short online workshops. One such workshop involved the whole Center for Inquiry and Equity in Mathematics and facilitated an exploration of access in the digital space. Another workshop involving Fellows, preservice teachers, and their students focused on the mathematics of pandemics. Two Fellows, pictured below, collaborated to co-teach a mathematics lesson on the opioid crisis to prospective elementary teachers.

What preliminary findings of your research are you excited to explore further?

We believe the field has only begun to tap the potential for collaborations between mathematics and math education faculty who care deeply about mathematics learning and equity. We are excited to witness how the project collaborations—which are ongoing—continue to unfold, and what other collaborations might emerge over time.

Learn more about NSF DUE 1821444

Full Project Name: Focus on Inquiry and Equity in Mathematics for Education Faculty

Abstract: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1821444&HistoricalAwards=false

Project Contact: Dr. Sarah Sword, PI; ssword@edc.org

*Responses in this blog were edited for length and clarity.