A Multi-Dimensional approach to math

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 In the video lecture presented by Jo Boaler, a comparison was made between teaching math through a traditional approach and multi-dimensional approach. In a classroom teaching math through the traditional approach, students were less participative and under achieved compared to the multi-dimensional approach where they were more engaged in problem solving and critical thinking. I believe teaching through multi-dimensional methods such as stand-up math would be effective at getting students involved in learning, as well as develop other skills not necessarily used in formal assessment such as public speaking, thought processes and formulation of ideas, and group teamwork. Boaler presented an interesting longitudinal study conducted of 700 Californian high school students comparing traditional vs multi-dimensional approach to learning math and found that the students who learned math multi-dimensionally scored higher on tests.

 

Another interesting conversation was mentioned in the Boaler video through the question of “why teach math” and “what is math”. The world is developed to be very mathematical and math is used heavily in technical jobs and everyday life by many different fields. Mathematics teaches logical mind training which are useful outside of math taught in high schools; the math taught in high school classrooms are dumbed down problems and not extremely relevant outside education. It is mentioned that we spend 80% of the time teaching math in the computation phase. Many of the computation in the real world is done through computers rather than by hand. I agree that we should shift from teaching students how to perform calculations, to towards teaching students how to use communication skills to reason and ask questions in mathematics.

 

Source: Boaler, J. (2014). Beautiful maths. Retrieved September 17, 2020 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OgKnrPNZiI.

Comments

  1. Susan GerofskySeptember 23, 2020 at 9:20 PM

    Good -- but I would like to hear more about your own interpretations and ideas for implementation of these approaches in your own classroom. You've summed up other people's ideas well, but I don't know where you stand or what your thinking is!

    ReplyDelete

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