2010-12 Collaborative Teacher Inquiry - Grade 9 Applied Math

This project continues the collaborative teacher inquiry initiated in 2008. The currect project focuses on the improvement of instructional strategies in grade 9 applied level mathematics, with the goal of improving student achievement and engagement in mathematics in the Toronto Catholic and Toronto District School Boards.

Professor Doug McDougall has been the lead researcher on this project since 2008. Dr. McDougall is the Chair of the Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Department at OISE. His research focus in this project is to determine the efficacy of supported collaborative learning among grade 9 mathematics teachers as a strategy to improve instructional practices in the classroom. Participating teachers have been given extensive support from the central program and instruction department in each board to implement and research the effects of selected evidence-based best practices in mathematics teaching.

Teachers involved in the project have had access to a wiki that was designed by Professor Jim Hewitt, and monitored by The Learning Consortium.  In this way, the collaboration among the participating teachers in all Boards continues without numerous meetings and off-site workshops, and teachers have access to many helpful resources.

The second phase of this project began in February, 2011, and will end in June, 2012 - a total of three semesters.

Hear Doug McDougall on CBC Radio One:  http://www.cbc.ca/ontariotoday/2011/09/08/why-is-math-so-hard-to-learn/