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University instructors’ use of questioning devices in mathematics textbooks: an instrumental approach

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Abstract

The goal of this study is to identify the multiple ways in which instructors take advantage of a feature designed into university textbooks that seeks to invite students to get acquainted with the content prior to attending the class in which such content will be discussed. We present an analysis of teacher instrumentation of this feature, which we call questioning devices, using data from 15 instructors who taught calculus, linear algebra, or abstract algebra over one semester. The instructors taught at 14 different universities in the United States. We identified four utilization schemes of the questioning devices in which instructors: completed questioning devices for pre-planning, required students to complete the questioning devices for the purpose of lesson planning, used the questioning devices for the purpose of instruction, and required students complete the questioning devices for the purpose of assessment. These schemes are supported by various operational invariants related to self-perception as competent instructors and implicit theories of teaching and learning. The identified utilization schemes inform textbook developers and author-designers, making them aware of whether these features fulfill their design purposes, and possibly think about changes that might be needed to support instructors in achieving their instructional goals and improve learning. We suggest some further areas of inquiry.

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Notes

  1. As for the abstract algebra textbook, Beezer who designed the reading questions, indicates that “collecting responses to the Reading Questions prior to covering material in class will require students to learn how to read the material.” (Rob Beezer, personal communication, December 29, 2020).

  2. There was insufficient evidence for T17 and T24 to identify a utilization scheme.

  3. We maintained participants’ choice of wording and capitalization in all their quotes.

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Acknowledgements

Funding for this work has been provided by the National Science Foundation through Awards IUSE 1624634, 1821509. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Vilma Mesa, Carlos Quiroz, Saba Gerami & Lynn Chamberlain

  2. University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA

    Yue Ma

  3. University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway

    Yannis Liakos

  4. Stephen F Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX, USA

    Thomas Judson

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  1. Vilma Mesa
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  2. Yue Ma
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  3. Carlos Quiroz
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  7. Lynn Chamberlain
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Correspondence to Vilma Mesa.

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Mesa, V., Ma, Y., Quiroz, C. et al. University instructors’ use of questioning devices in mathematics textbooks: an instrumental approach. ZDM Mathematics Education 53, 1299–1311 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-021-01296-5

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