Learning to Launch Complex Tasks: How Instructional Visions Influence the Exploration of the Practice

Abstract

<jats:p>This study investigates how the exploration phase of the teacher learning cycle provides 11 novice mathematics teachers with the opportunity to learn about the high-leverage practice of launching a complex task. Findings suggest that the exploration phase of the teacher learning cycle provides novice teachers with opportunities to reflect on how to launch a complex task within the context of their own instructional practice. Because of this opportunity to deeply consider the pedagogical resource and reflect on it, novice teachers’ instructional visions were a filter through which they interpreted key instructional strategies offered up during the exploration phase of the teacher learning cycle. Further, the authors discuss three key takeaways for teacher educators who are attempting to implement the teacher learning cycle into their teacher education coursework.</jats:p>

Cognitively Demanding Tasks: Supporting Students and Teachers during Engagement and Implementation

“…The first two studies focus on launching cognitively demanding tasks while the last study focuses on assessing students' cognitive level during task engagement. Wilhelm and Woods (2020) examined the ways in which the explore phase of the teacher learning cycle allowed inservice mathematics teachers to reflect on launching cognitively demanding tasks. In the explore phase, teachers read about the aspects of an effective task launch (Jackson et al, 2012), reflected on ways in which they might implement a task launch in their own instruction, and had opportunities to analyze a video of a task launch alongside their peers and course instructor.…”

“…In the explore phase, teachers read about the aspects of an effective task launch (Jackson et al, 2012), reflected on ways in which they might implement a task launch in their own instruction, and had opportunities to analyze a video of a task launch alongside their peers and course instructor. Wilhelm and Woods (2020) also included a lesson plan within the appendix of their manuscript detailing how they used the teacher learning cycle to engage teachers with the practice of launching a cognitively demanding task. How teachers reflected about launching cognitively demanding tasks varied with respect to their individual instructional vision, or how they viewed ideal classroom practice.…”

“…Those teachers who viewed their role as "deliverer of knowledge" described ways in which they might incorporate specific aspects of an effective task launch within their own instruction (e.g., developing a common language among students), but not in alignment with how the practice is intended. Those teachers who viewed their role as "facilitator of knowledge" were able to identify ways in which they were already implementing some aspects of an effective launch within their practice, but that the activities within the explore phase would serve as motivation to improve their practice in ways that would fully align with their instructional vision (Wilhelm & Woods, 2020).…”

“…Opportunities for teachers to read, reflect on how they might implement, and analyze the practice. (Wilhelm & Woods, 2020) Implement and reflect on task enactment…”