Advancing Algebra Achievement Using Affordances of Classroom Connectivity Technology: The Case for Noticing through Discussion

Abstract

This article reports on two aspects of a professional learning (PL) and research study. Twenty-five teachers participated in a two-year PL program that sought to support teachers to implement classroom connectivity technology (CCT) in their Algebra I classrooms. Students in one school who learned Algebra I with CCT outperformed their peers who learned without CCT. Therefore, we explored the classroom practices of one teacher whose students attained higher achievement. There were several aspects of this teacher’s instruction that created the context for noticing and potentially led to the significant difference in Algebra I achievement. First, we describe the foundational components of the classroom context that established the expectations for learning and lesson mini cycles that provided a consistent format for students. We discuss several components of this work that supported student noticing, including connections to prior knowledge, task analysis, and carefully curated lessons. Students’ observations were codified in the conjectures that they developed individually and in groups as well as in the summaries of the classroom engagement in several ways. The implications of these results and future research are discussed.