Exploring Middle Grades Mathematics Teachers’ Experiences Engaging in Improvement Science to Enhance Their Instructional Practice: A Multiple-Case Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore middle grades mathematics teachers’ experiences implementing improvement science methods, including Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles (PDSA Cycles; Bryk et al., 2015) with scaffolded support from an instructional coach. Specifically, this study focused on the impact of such experiences on their use of the Mathematics Teaching Practices (MTPs; National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM], 2014) and their adoption of an inquiry stance (Farmer et al., 2003) toward their continued professional learning. The two case studies examined the participants’ instructional practices and perceptions before, during, and after their engagement in the professional learning experiences. Each case was a middle grades mathematics teacher enacting PDSA Cycles with scaffolded support from their instructional coach. Analysis of data collected from observational notes, interviews, recordings of professional learning and debriefing sessions, and professional learning documents revealed participants were able to make small changes focused on student engagement connected to some MTPs (NCTM, 2014) including discourse, questioning, and use of student thinking. Overall, the participants’ instruction remained largely teacher-centered and focused on mathematical procedures. However, the participants demonstrated moments of independently engaging in actions associated with an inquiry stance, and both shared an appreciation of key components of an inquiry stance, as defined by Farmer et al. (2003).