Author(s):
Mathematics serves as the entryway to a variety of STEM fields, but students struggle in mathematics courses during the first two years of college. Faculty are challenged in constructing entry level mathematics courses that engage all learners since students enter the classroom with different educational goals, backgrounds, preparation levels, expectations, and needs and practices successful at one institution may not be easily replicable in a different environment (Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences, 2016). Additionally, online courses have increased in prevalence in the last decade but have shown to have lower levels of aspects of engagement (Burch, Heller, Burch, & Heller, 2016). However, classes employing active learning techniques have higher success rates than traditional lecture classes (Freeman et al., 2014) and may profoundly affect performance of marginalized students (Theobald et al., 2020). Successful Engagement: Active Learning in Mathematics (SEAL-M) has designed a series of professional development opportunities for mathematics instructors to construct and adopt inclusive active learning lessons and engage in a mentorship program to help transform mathematics instruction at Valencia College, a two-year HSI. The guiding questions of the work are (1) To what extent does a mathematics faculty development program, consisting of a Summer Institute, Mentor Training, and a Mentorship Program, influence growth mindset belief and mitigate perceived barriers to AL implementation at a large, two-year Hispanic Serving Institution and (2) Is there a correlational relationship between faculty knowledge and attitude towards equity mindedness and AL implementation in a mathematics setting? Participants in the project report increased classroom engagement and connection, increased familiarity with active learning techniques, decreased comfort in implementing equity-minded classroom practices, and increased awareness of barriers to active learning. Preliminary classroom data, although not statistically significant, suggests a trend towards closing achievement gaps in the classrooms of participating instructors. The broader impacts of the SEAL-M project lie in its potential to revolutionize mathematics instruction on a national scale. By developing a repository of inclusive active learning lessons across various classroom modalities, the project lays the foundation for a highly modular and responsive approach to mathematics education. Moreover, the peer mentorship model of professional development designed by SEAL-M can be replicated and adapted by other institutions, further extending the project’s impact. By emphasizing metacognition and collaboration, SEAL-M lays the groundwork for sustainable change in mathematics education, benefiting students from diverse backgrounds. Future directions include expanding collaborations, conducting longitudinal studies, and addressing barriers to increase access to high-quality, inclusive mathematics education and foster a culture of continuous improvement among instructors.
Coauthors
Deb Howard, Valencia College, Orlando, FL; Brandon Armstrong, Valencia College, Orlando, FL; Keri Siler, Valencia College, Orlando, FL; Ryan Kasha, Valencia College, Orlando, FL
