Exploring Inquiry-Based Learning for the Math Teacher

Course Overview:    

Welcome to "Exploring Inquiry-Based Learning for the Math Teacher." Throughout this mini-course, you will explore the basics of inquiry-based learning and see its application within the secondary math classroom throughout lesson plans, videos, articles, and other resources.  

In this course, you will:

• Learn the basics of inquiry-based learning.
• See inquiry-based learning “come to life” in a lesson plan.   
• Explore the differences between inquiry-based learning and direct instruction and its impacts on the students’ progress.
• Analyze the benefits of incorporating inquiry-based lessons and some challenges.   
• Examine additional relevant topics tailored specifically for secondary math educators.

 

We often rely on direct instruction, especially in the math classroom. It is easy, and often the number one way to teach all the curriculum in the short amount of time we’re allotted during the school year.  With that being true, we also do have concerns about our student's ability to think critically and solve problems.  After all, our students likely won’t be using the derivative of arctan in their lives, but they will need to use the skills that got them to learn the derivative of arctan in the first place to get them through challenges they come across.  The transfer of learning that students acquire in the math class into the real world likely won’t be content based, but skill based. Throughout this course, you will learn how it is possible for you to still meet your students' goals and plan engaging lessons that will keep you on track all year.