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Connecting Theory to Concept Building: Designing Instruction for Learning

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Enabling Mathematics Learning of Struggling Students

Part of the book series: Research in Mathematics Education ((RME))

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Abstract

Supporting students to develop conceptual understanding can be challenging. In this chapter, we address how teachers can promote students’ conceptual growth. Our aim is to illustrate connections between the framework for knowing and learning presented in Chap. 3 and instructional design considerations. We address the essential question, “What tools do teachers utilize to promote students’ conceptual change?” First, we compare and contrast interventions designed for remediation versus interventions designed for learning, making connections between designing for learning and mathematical proficiency. Next, we review core features of student learning: students’ noticing of relationships between goals, actions, and their effects and unpack two key design considerations teachers can use to support growth in students’ concepts. Specifically, we unpack (1) bridging, variation, and reinstating types of tasks and (2) interactive prompting and gesturing. Finally, we use the fundamental concept of ten as a unit to illustrate how teachers might use such design moves to inform their teaching.

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Hunt, J.H., Tzur, R. (2022). Connecting Theory to Concept Building: Designing Instruction for Learning. In: Xin, Y.P., Tzur, R., Thouless, H. (eds) Enabling Mathematics Learning of Struggling Students. Research in Mathematics Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95216-7_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95216-7_5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-95215-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-95216-7

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