Grace Pai

A strong foundation in mathematics is key to succeeding in any science, technology, engineering, arts/architecture, and mathematics (STEAM) field. To this end, the problems that teachers pose are one of the most important factors underlying the development of students’ mathematics knowledge. This study is novel in positing computational thinking (CT)—which is a set of cognitive practices and processes used in computer science—as a framework of strategies that can help pre-service teachers (PSTs) pose cognitively demanding tasks that develop their students’ mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills. Drawing on PSTs’ artifacts and reflections from an undergraduate mathematics methods course at a public, urban minority-serving institution, this chapter illustrates how CT practices like abstraction, decomposition, algorithmic thinking, and debugging can be applied to deepen mathematical problem-posing. We found three overarching ways that PSTs used CT to increase the cognitive demand of the original mathematics problems: (1) adding more applications of the same or different mathematical standard/skill, (2) asking students to engage in the mathematical practice of constructing arguments about the same standard/skill, and (3) providing opportunities for students to apply other mathematical practices.

Many states in the United States have adopted culturally responsive sustaining education (CRSE) as a pedagogical framework to promote inclusive education and positive student outcomes for all students, including those from marginalized groups. Yet there is a paucity of knowledge on teachers’ attitudes towards and experiences of implementing these initiatives. This study draws on survey data to explore how urban and rural/suburban elementary school teachers across the state of New York understand and implement the state’s CRSE framework. Results show that although CRSE is not necessarily a top priority of many schools across the state, teachers generally have positive perceptions of CRSE and have been accountable in taking concrete steps towards implementing inclusive curriculum. However, they can benefit from more school- and district-level support. Lastly, teachers in rural/suburban districts outside of NYC reported significantly lower rates of school-wide buy-in into CRSE. These findings support the development of school- or districtwide professional learning opportunities to build understanding of the state’s framework and ways to collaboratively translate CRSE values into inclusive teaching.