Writing a mathematics community: A pen pal inquiry project.

Abstract

In elementary school classrooms, mathematics is rarely perceived as a form of communication or as a foundation for community. Instead, it often takes the shape of numbered problems with very specific answers compiled into textbooks and worksheets

Reference

Norton-Meier, L., Drake, C., & Tidwell, M. (2009). Writing a mathematics community: A pen pal inquiry project. Language Arts, 86(4), 245–256.

Journal

Language Arts

Analysis

Is this article part of a larger project or series of studies?

Does this study draw on a large, preexisting data set?

Research Approach

Qualitiative

Geographic Setting

Midwestern USA

Institutional Context

University based

Certification Level

Elementary

Programatic Focus

Elementary

Research Location Context

elementary language arts class
Mathematics methods course

Preservice Participants

undergraduate preservice teachers

Preservice Sample Size

Duration of Data Collection

1 Academic Year

Data Sources

fieldnotes
Interviews
interviews with kids (students)
pen pal letters

Data Analysis Tools

Constant comparative analysis

Researcher Positionality

inside (staying their own students)

Research Questions

As teacher educators, our questions were: “In the current political times with the strong focus on standardized instruction and assessment, what is it about the experience of the pen pal partnership that brings together so many isolated learning communities to truly create a community of inquiry with individual questions, but a collective purpose? What can we learn together and from each other?” (pp. 245-246)
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes

Finally, after reading articles by Sandra Crespo (2000, 2003) about the power of mathematics pen pal relationships for developing students’ skills and understandings related to problem posing, problem solving, and mathematical communication, we all wondered, “What happens in and to the shared inquiry community when a mathematical component is added to the pen pal letters? What new questions and challenges arise for individuals, and how do they continue to build and explore their thinking in relation to teaching and learning, literacy, and mathematics?” These questions about the mathematics pen pal process became the focus for this study. (pp. 245-246)
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes