Abstract
This study examined teachers’ and parents’ beliefs on the implementation of inquiry-based modeling activities as a means to facilitate parental engagement in school mathematics and science. The study had three objectives: (a) to describe teachers’ beliefs about inquiry-based mathematics and science and parental engagement; (b) to describe parents’ beliefs about inquiry-based mathematics and science and their engagement in inquiry-based problem solving; and (c) to explore the impact of an inquiry-based learning environment comprising a model-eliciting activity and Twitter. The research involved three sixth-grade teachers and 32 parents from one elementary school. Teachers and parents participated in workshops, followed by the implementation of a model-eliciting activity in two classrooms. Three teachers and six parents participated in semi-structured interviews. Teachers reported positive beliefs on parental engagement in the mathematics and science classrooms and the potential positive role of parents in implementing innovative problem-solving activities. Parents expressed strong beliefs on their engagement and welcomed the inquiry-based modeling approach. Based on the results of this aspect of a four-year longitudinal design, implications for parental engagement in inquiry-based mathematics and science teaching and learning and further research are discussed.
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Notes
PRIMAS, Promoting Inquiry Based Learning in Mathematics and Science, focuses on enhancing students’ inquiry skills in mathematics, science, and engineering (e.g., decision making) and on exploring students’ development of modeling competences.
Students’ groups and parents’ Twitter accounts were ‘anonymous’ (Parent 1, Parent 2, … Student Group 1, etc.) so as to better facilitate the process. Since some parents did not participate, we did not want to exclude their children from being actively involved in the activity. Further, we aimed to avoid direct communication between parents and their child only.
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Acknowledgments
This paper is based on work within the project PRIMAS—Promoting Inquiry Based Learning in Mathematics and Science across Europe (http://www.primas-project.eu). Project coordination: University of Education, Freiburg (Germany). Partners: University of Genève (Switzerland), Freudenthal Institute, University of Utrecht (The Netherlands), MARS—Shell Centre, University of Nottingham (UK), University of Jaen (Spain), Konstantin the Philosopher University in Nitra (Slovak Republic), University of Szeged (Hungary), Cyprus University of Technology (Cyprus), University of Malta (Malta), Roskilde University, Department of Science, Systems and Models (Denmark), University of Manchester (UK), Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca (Romania), Sør-Trøndelag University College (Norway), IPN-Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education at the University of Kiel (Germany). The research leading to these results/PRIMAS has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under Grant Agreement no. 244380. This paper reflects only the author’s views and the European Union is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained herein.
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Appendix
Appendix
1.1 There is a trouble in paradise: severe water shortage problem in Cyprus
1.1.1 Part of background information
Nicosia. Alex Chris, a landscape gardener working for several foreign embassies and private estates in Nicosia, said many of the capital’s boreholes are now pumping mud. “I installed one expensive garden with 500 meters of irrigation pipe in Nicosia a few months ago,” he said. “Last week they called to tell me the system had stopped and their trees and lawns were dying. I found that sludge had been pumped through the pipes and then solidified in the heat. It was like cement.” […]
Emergency water rationing as well as a request to import water from nearby countries was ordered as a result of a severe water shortage due to a drought over the last 4 years. Reservoir reserves have plunged dangerously low and desalination plants cannot keep up with a growing demand for water. Cyprus has two desalination plants running at full capacity, with a third due to come on stream in June. The island is increasingly relying on desalinization plants for water, but they can only provide 45 % of demand, and their operation is energy heavy. Further, there are several concerns on the environmental impact of their use. […]
Cypriot officials decided to sign a contract with a nearby country, to import more than 12 million cubic meters over the summer period starting at the end of June. Officials will also sign a contract with a shipping company to use oil tankers for supplying Cyprus with water. The tanker supply program will continue until a permanent solution to the problem has been reached.
1.1.2 Sample of readiness questions
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1.
How many desalination plants are currently in Cyprus?
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2.
Why did the Cyprus government decide to not build more desalination plants to cover the country’s water needs?
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3.
Which solution did the Cyprus Water Board decide to adopt for solving the water shortage problem?
1.1.3 The problem
Cyprus Water Board needs to decide from which country Cyprus will import water for the next summer period. Using the information provided, assist the Board in making the best possible choice.
Lebanon, Greece, Syria, and Egypt expressed their willingness to supply Cyprus with water. The Water Board has received information about the water price, how much water they can supply Cyprus with during summer, oil tanker cost, and the port facilities. This information is presented below.
Write a letter explaining the method you used to make your decision so that the Board can use your method for selecting the best available option not only for now, but also for the future when the Board will have to take similar decisions.
Country | Water supply per week (metric tons) | Water price (metric ton) | Tanker capacity (metric tons) | Tanker oil cost per 100 km | Port facilities for tankers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Egypt | 3,000,000 | € 4.00 | 30,000 | € 20,000 | Average |
Greece | 4,000,000 | € 2.00 | 50,000 | € 25,000 | Very good |
Lebanon | 2,000,000 | € 5.20 | 30,000 | € 20,000 | Average |
Syria | 3,000,000 | € 5.00 | 30,000 | € 20,000 | Good |
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Mousoulides, N.G. Facilitating parental engagement in school mathematics and science through inquiry-based learning: an examination of teachers’ and parents’ beliefs. ZDM Mathematics Education 45, 863–874 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-013-0524-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-013-0524-4