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Instructional Decision Making in a Gateway Quantitative Reasoning Course.

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Title: Instructional Decision Making in a Gateway Quantitative Reasoning Course.
Authors: Budhathoki, Deependra1 dbudhathoki@defiance.edu, Foley, Gregory D.2 foleyg@ohio.edu, Shadik, Stephen2 shadiks@ohio.edu
Source: Numeracy: Advancing Education in Quantitative Literacy. 2024, Vol. 17 Issue 1, preceding p1-21. 23p.
Subject Terms: *Decision making, *Student-centered learning, *Active learning, *Educators, Mathematics, Professional associations
Abstract: Many educators and professional organizations recommend Quantitative Reasoning as the best entrylevel postsecondary mathematics course for non-STEM majors. However, novice and veteran instructors who have no prior experience in teaching a QR course often express their ignorance of the content to choose for this course, the instruction to offer students, and the assessments to measure student learning. We conducted a case study to investigate the initial implementation of an entry-level university quantitative reasoning course during fall semester, 2018. The participants were the course instructor and students. We examined the instructor's motives and actions and the students' responses to the course. The instructor had no prior experience teaching a QR course but did have 15 years of experience teaching student-centered mathematics. Data included course artifacts, class observations, an instructor interview, and students' written reflections. Because this was a new course--and to adapt to student needs--the instructor employed his instructional autonomy and remained flexible in designing and enacting the course content, instruction, and assessment. His instructional decision making and flexible approach helped the instructor tailor the learning activities and teaching practices to the needs and interests of the students. The students generally appreciated and benefited from this approach, enjoyed the course, and provided positive remarks about the instructors' practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Education Research Complete
Description
Abstract:Many educators and professional organizations recommend Quantitative Reasoning as the best entrylevel postsecondary mathematics course for non-STEM majors. However, novice and veteran instructors who have no prior experience in teaching a QR course often express their ignorance of the content to choose for this course, the instruction to offer students, and the assessments to measure student learning. We conducted a case study to investigate the initial implementation of an entry-level university quantitative reasoning course during fall semester, 2018. The participants were the course instructor and students. We examined the instructor's motives and actions and the students' responses to the course. The instructor had no prior experience teaching a QR course but did have 15 years of experience teaching student-centered mathematics. Data included course artifacts, class observations, an instructor interview, and students' written reflections. Because this was a new course--and to adapt to student needs--the instructor employed his instructional autonomy and remained flexible in designing and enacting the course content, instruction, and assessment. His instructional decision making and flexible approach helped the instructor tailor the learning activities and teaching practices to the needs and interests of the students. The students generally appreciated and benefited from this approach, enjoyed the course, and provided positive remarks about the instructors' practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:19364660
DOI:10.5038/1936-4660.17.1.1451