Research on mathematics teachers as partners in task design

Abstract

Mathematical tasks and tools, including tasks in the form of digital tools, are key resources in mathematics teaching and in mathematics teacher education. Even so, the 'design' of mathematical tasks is perceived in different ways: sometimes seen as something distinct from the teaching and learning process, and sometimes as integral to it. Whilst task design has often been carried out by designers or mathematicians (perhaps as textbook authors), the focus for this review article is research that has involved mathematics teachers as partners in the design of tasks. The article provides a state-of-the-art review of relevant literature and is presented under three headings that consider, in turn, the role of mathematical 'tasks'; the nature of 'task design'; and the notion of 'partnerships for task design' in mathematics education. Subsequently, we present current research that is providing new insights into tasks, task design, and task design partnership. Based on this, we argue that 'task design' needs to pay particular attention to what to design, which tools are necessary or beneficial, and under what conditions; digital tools and task resources offer particular affordances that traditional resources cannot provide; and not only do teachers benefit from being partners in task design (in terms of their professional learning) but without their involvement some aspects of task design would most likely be neglected.

Mathematical tasks and the student: navigating “tensions of intentions” between designers, teachers, and students

“…In a special issue of the Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, Jones and Pepin (2016) raised an initial question in relation to the role of task design in the process of teaching and learning. Drawing on Brown's (2009) conceptualization of "pedagogical design capacity" to describe a teacher's "capacity to utilize existing curricular resources effectively to design instruction" (p. 106), Jones and Pepin argued that it is fundamental that teachers and designers be partners in task design.…”

“…The use of capacity perhaps serves to background the partnering relationships within which these posited capacities play out, and it is just these relationships that we see as helpfully highlighted by the socio-didactical tetrahedron. Jones and Pepin (2016) identified four areas to which researchers should attend when engaging in task design: objects to design; tools to use (and conditions under which to use those tools); care in the use of digital tools; and involvement of teachers in task design. We argue for a fifth area: student experience of the task.…”

“…Mathematical task design continues to be an important area of research in mathematics education Clarke, et al, 2014;Watson & Ohtani, 2015;Jones and Pepin, 2016). The mathematical tasks with which students engage can shape students' mathematical learning opportunities and their experiences with mathematics as a whole (Watson & Mason, 2007).…”

Refining teacher design capacity: Mathematics teachers’ interactions with digital curriculum resources

“…Whilst previously teachers were typically seen as the 'implementers' of curriculum materials, which had been developed by professional curriculum designers and mathematicians, now mathematics teachers have become 'designers', or act as 'partners' in the design of curriculum materials (Jones and Pepin 2016). It is recognized that when teachers interact with curriculum resources, they develop Abstract The goal of this conceptual paper is to develop enhanced understandings of mathematics teacher design and design capacity when interacting with digital curriculum resources.…”

Teachers’ appraisals of adjectives relating to mathematics tasks

“…Thus, helping teachers to design and select high-quality mathematics tasks for use in the classroom is critical for improving students' learning of mathematics (Jones & Pepin, 2016). However, little is known about teachers' interpretations of adjectives describing mathematics tasks and, indeed, about teachers' language about tasks more generally.…”