Professional Development for Mathematics Teachers: Using Task Design and Analysis

Abstract

This study presents a year-long professional development program using a Task Design and Analysis activity for mathematics teachers.  The study examines teacher growth, including their knowledge of mathematics, understanding of students cognitive activity, and ability to develop high quality tasks.  Results include teachers initial understanding of the task, teachers interpretations and awareness of their students strategies used to solve the task, and the pattern of revised tasks. Two main approaches used by inservice teachers were symbolic manipulation and the guess and check method. Approximately one-quarter of the teachers reported mathematical language as the weakest area, and mathematical accuracy seem to have the least issue with teachers. All teachers valued students employing basic steps of a problem solving process-understanding the problem, working on the solution by using heuristics, and looking back. Tasks revised by teachers were categorized in four areas, contextual changes, conceptual changes, procedural changes, and format.