1.

Context for Learning

The school was a small P-6 government school with approximately 100 students
located in east Gippsland of Victoria. (SPS 2021). The school’s motto was ‘cutting
pathways to success’ implying the school is guiding students towards reaching
their full potential. The core values the school upholds and encourages students
to follow are excellence, caring, learning and honesty. These values are in place
to inform students and build personal and social capabilities to become
confident, independent, resilient, and optimistic learners. (SPS 2021). (Refer to
appendix A).

To continue developing student’s pathways to success it is essential that the core

values were implemented within everyday lessons. To foster student learning and
independence alongside the values through this inquiry, I provided opportunities
for students to construct their own knowledge by building confidence and
understanding of mathematics concepts.

2. The Community of Learners and Case Study Children/Young People

The class was the single 4/5 composite class in the school. The class consisted of
21 students all with individual interests and needs that were considered when
planning. The diversity of the class included four students of Koori decent
therefore I took this into consideration when planning. Due to the combination of
year 4’s and 5’s this inquiry was beneficial for supporting students of a range of
abilities. (Refer to appendix B).

One of the focus areas of the school is to develop respectful relationships

between all members of the community. To foster this development constructivist
pedagogies will aid student’s communication skills through teaching strategies
such as questioning and mathematical conversations in the classroom.
The two students I chose for my case study included ‘typical’ students in relation
to the context of the class. I chose two students who were slightly below average
and benefitted from a little extra help / scaffolding in developing conceptual
 understanding. I decided to choose one student from year 4 and one student
from year 5. The two students were students who showed a willingness to try new
things and were active and involved learners in the classroom. (Refer to
appendix C).

3. Topic or Issue of Significance for Inquiry into own Practice for Learning.

a) Identify the topic or issue of your enquiry.

The topic chosen for this inquiry was how constructivist pedagogies might aid
students with conceptual understanding in mathematics, specifically within a
fraction’s unit. Constructivist perspectives have been recognized to improve student
reasoning and makes this a good opportunity to work on implementing effective
pedagogies within my own practice.

b) Identify the significance of this inquiry/topic/issue to children/young people’s

learning in your learning community context.

Duchesne & McMaugh (2019, p.485) stated that collaborative learning has had
significant effects for students of low SES backgrounds. This inquiry is significant to the
context of this class due to the majority of students residing within the bottom
quarter of the socio educational advantage scale.

c) Critique multiple perspectives to inform understandings of this inquiry into

practice for learning topic/issue.

Bandura’s research found that humans have a major control over their own
learning. This type of cognitive view of learning is broadly termed as constructivism.
The research in this area has found that students can construct their own knowledge
from factors in their environment. A major part of this idea is looking into the role that
social interaction has in this process (social constructivism). (Duchesne & McMaugh
2019).
Social constructivism leans into Vygotsky’s research on how social interaction is
essential for learning. This research has found that peer to peer learning is a major
component on the construction of knowledge. When students work together, they
can share knowledge and therefore build and evolve each other’s ideas. The three
key components of enabling a constructivist point of view in teaching pedagogy is
that; students are active participants in learning, they are self-regulated and social
interaction is vital. In the classroom this can look like learner centred experiences
that provide opportunities for students to work together. (Duchesne & McMaugh
2019).

Research has shown that taking a constructivist approach to learning over a

traditional approach is beneficial in mathematics and will aid students to construct
their own knowledge. (Reys et al. 2017, p. 29). Pedagogies that align with the social
constructivist theories were used throughout this inquiry to aid the development of
student cognitive understanding. This was implemented through providing students
with learning experiences that allow them to take ownership of their own learning
and opportunity to work with peers. (Margetts & Woolfolk 2018). The zone of proximal
development (ZPD) was considered when planning for learning. A students ZPD can
be described as the area between what a student can already do independently
and the point where assistance is required for success. By planning learning
experiences to sit within this zone students will be building new ideas with some
amount of support. (Margetts & Woolfolk 2018).

Developing cognitive understanding in mathematics is about using higher-level

thinking in the classroom. Van de Walle et al. 2019 states that creating tasks that
allow students to collaborate, describe, justify, predict and so on, allow students to
make sense of mathematics. These types of verbs or tasks are situated within the
higher levels of Blooms (revised) taxonomy being analysing, evaluating, and
creating. (Van de Walle et al. 2019). This theory has informed the pedagogical
strategies that will be used in this inquiry to include collaborative learning, higher-
order questioning, and a gradual release of responsibility approach.
Collaborative learning is described as students within a class working together with
students of different ability levels. Students work towards a common goal making
them as responsible as each other to succeed. (Gokhale 1995). Collaborative
learning has been shown to accelerate learning and increase individual
accountability (Lahann & Lambdin 2020). Students experience a positive learning
environment working with other students and develop an interest in learning and
respect for their classmates. (Lahann & Lambdin 2020). Collaborative learning
provides students with a social scaffold that can be used as responsibility of learning
increases. (Margetts & Woolfolk 2018).

A gradual release of responsibility is a pedagogy that has been used to design

learning programs. The framework directs teachers to begin units with large amounts
of scaffolding and support for the students to be successful as they are beginning a
new unit. Over time, this scaffolding is gradually taken away to push students to
begin working independently without assistance. (O’Donnell et al. 2015).

Using higher order and open-ended questioning is an effective constructivist

strategy that will be used within this inquiry. In classrooms there is too much lower-
order questioning occurring in mathematics. To stimulate students thinking further
than simple recall, teachers need to develop a higher-order questioning style. (Way
2008). Questioning promotes critical thinking and provides students a base for
investigating and reasoning of a mathematical concept. (Gonzalez 2012). Questions
need to be specific and purposeful to stimulate meaningful thinking. This pedagogy
will help students to learn the type of critical thought processes that will enable them
to be successful when working independently to solve new problems. (Gonzalez
2012).

Guiding question: How might constructivist pedagogies support development of

conceptual understanding in a year 4/5 fraction’s unit within mathematics?
Sub questions:
- What constructivist pedagogies might I use to support development of
conceptual understanding?
- What does conceptual understanding look like?
 - How will I know if these strategies have supported student learning? Why /
why not?

4. Plan of Action

a) Identify the aspect of your pedagogy and curriculum planning that was the
focus of your inquiry.
The focus of this inquiry is to incorporate constructivist pedagogies within everyday
practice to benefit student development. The aim will be to inquire and understand
how constructivist pedagogies help develop conceptual understanding in
mathematics. My aim was to expose the students to a variety of constructivist
pedagogies that would help them become independent and confident learners.

b) Describe the curriculum and pedagogy planning over time/unit overview.

The year 4/5 mathematics unit took place over a 3-week block and was visited in 4-5
lessons per week. The inquiry block covered a unit on fractions. The unit was planned
based off student’s prior knowledge that was discovered in the first lesson. The
learning intention was for students to improve and become confident in their
mathematical thinking. As it is a composite class, the unit was designed so it
overlapped both year levels in the Australian Curriculum.

The key achievement standards for the unit are as follows:

Year 4: ‘They recognise common equivalent fractions in familiar contexts and make
connections between fraction and decimal notations up to two decimal places.
Students solve simple purchasing problems.’ (ACARA 2020).

Year 5: ‘Students order decimals and unit fractions and locate them on number
lines. They add and subtract fractions with the same denominator. Students
continue patterns by adding and subtracting fractions and decimals.’ (ACARA
2020).

The numeracy capabilities in this unit related to applying and interpreting reasoning
to compare and order fractions, decimals, and percentages. (ACARA 2020).
The literacy capabilities revolve around learning fraction and decimal terminology
for students to use as a part of their vocabulary. Students learnt how to describe the
components of fractions and decimals to order and compare them. (ACARA 2020).
The key assessment within this inquiry occurred at the beginning, middle and end of
the unit. It began with a diagnostic pre-test to analyse student’s prior knowledge
which dictated the sequence for the rest of the unit. Another test was taken at the
end of the unit in the form of an exit card to help see improvement and student
learning. Informal assessment was used throughout the unit to gage how students
were going and to identify areas where students may need extra one on one help.

Within planning this unit, differentiation was considered both for the needs of each
student but also the different year levels. As it was a year 4/5 composite class both
year level curriculums will need to be considered. I ensured the learning tasks were
equally accessible and there was opportunity for each student to be successful. To
do this I considered and planned for how tasks can be extended and lowered. The
activities I planned aligned to the learning intentions however, with multiple entry
points to account for differentiation.

The key pedagogical approaches used were strategies that were informed by
constructivist perspectives. The focus was using number talks and higher order
questioning whilst fostering a purposeful dialogic learning environment. Learning
sequences considered the ZPD by finding students prior knowledge and were
scaffolded to help students succeed. At the beginning of the unit students were
scaffolded considerably, this will slowly be taken away as students become more
confident to allow the gradual release of responsibility.

A supportive learning environment was fostered by valuing all student’s ideas and
strategies by exploring them to find out their thinking even if they were not quite
right. This allowed students to learn from each other’s mistakes and feel confident to
share to the whole class. Another part of creating a safe environment was by
developing strong relationships with the students. To develop these positive
relationships, I made sure to get to know the students through planned activities in
the first week and throughout the placement.
c) Discuss practitioner inquiry as a research design and case study as a
methodology for your inquiry
Developing a practitioner inquiry aids teachers to strengthen their understanding of
pedagogical practice. It enabled me to think about different pedagogies and the
effectiveness of them in specific situations. Practitioner inquiries enable teachers to
try new ideas and investigate questions they have surrounding pedagogy. (Ewing et
al. 2020, p. 301). Reflection and understanding of practice developed my skills as an
educator and understanding of student learning which therefore helped improve
student outcomes. Using a case study as a main methodology within this inquiry
allowed me to analyse pedagogies against a whole class of students. The results will
then be a representation of a wider range of abilities to allow for differentiation
within practice.

d) Timeline, roles and responsibilities for your inquiry

There are six types of data that was used in this inquiry. The first type was planning
documentation to inform and plan purposeful and targeted learning experiences.
Evaluation of learning experiences was included to help me reflect on lessons to be
reflexive and plan for improvement in the future. Work samples were collected to
provide evidence of student improvement throughout the inquiry. Feedback from
my mentor teacher and student feedback from the class was collected. Including
both teacher and student feedback ensured that I received both an insider
(student) and outsider (teacher) perspective on the effectiveness of the key
pedagogies used. A reflective journal is the last piece of data that enabled me to
reflect upon my learning experiences to inform future planning and to paint the
picture of the inquiry.

The data collection points included students understanding at the beginning,

middle and end of the unit but also their progression throughout the three weeks. I
managed the data collection by observing and marking students work as well as
asking for specific feedback from my mentor teacher and students. I analysed the
data through the progression of the three weeks to see how the different
constructivist pedagogies have evidenced an improvement of critical thinking over
time. (Refer to appendix D).
REFERENCE LIST
Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority (ACARA) 2020, viewed on 25 June
2021,
<[Link]

Duchesne, S & McMaugh, A 2019, Educational psychology, 6th edn, Cengage

Learning Australia, South Melbourne, Victoria.

Ewing, R, Kervin, L, Glass, C, Gobby, B, Le Cornu, R & Groundwater-Smith, S 2020,

Teaching dilemmas, challenges and opportunities, 6th edn, Cengage, South
Melbourne, ch. 12 & 13.

Gokhale, A.A., 1995, Collaborative Learning Enhances Critical Thinking, Journal of

Technology Education, 7(1), pp.22–30. DOI: [Link]

Gonzalez, J. 2012, Promoting Higher Order Thinking in Mathematics, Kean University.

Lahann, P & Lambdin, D 2020, Collaborative Learning in Mathematics Education,

Encyclopedia of Mathematics Education, pp. 94-95.

My School 2020, Snowy Primary School, Australian Curriculum, Assessment and

Reporting Authority, viewed 23 June 2021,
<[Link]

O'Donnell, AM, Dobozy, E, Bartlett, B, Nagel, MC, Spooner-Lane, R, Youssef-Shalala,

A, Reeve, J, & Smith, JK 2015, EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SECOND AUSTRALIAN
EDITION, Wiley, Melbourne. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [25 September
2021].

Reys, R, Rogers, A, Bennett, S, Cooke, A, Robson, K, Ewing, B 2017, Helping Children

Learn Mathematics, 2nd edn, Wiley, Qld.

Snowy Primary School 2021 (SPS), Snowy Primary School Principal’s Welcome, viewed
23 June 2021, <[Link]
Sun, K, Baldinger, E & Humphreys, C 2018, Number Talks: Gateway to Sense Making,
in, The Mathematics Teacher, vol. 112, no. 1, pp. 48-54.

Van de Walle, John, et al. 2019, Primary and Middle Years Mathematics: Teaching
Developmentally, Pearson Education Australia.

Way, J. 2008, Using Questioning to Stimulate Mathematical Thinking, Australian

Primary Mathematics Classroom. Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers
Inc, 13(3), pp. 22–27.
<[Link]
INQUIRY PROJECT PROPOSAL KATE HAWLEY

Appendices
Appendix A: Foregrounding the Context of the Site: Site Demographics
School name: Snowy Primary School
School type (i.e. public): Public
Enrolment: 94
Attendance: 92%
Location: Outer regional or east
Gippsland in Victoria.
Traditional owners of the land: Gunaikurnai
Community Aboriginal sites: N/A
Local Aboriginal community relationships: N/A
Socio economic factors: 54% of enrolments belong to
the bottom quarter of socio-
educational advantage, 26%
and 16% respectively represent
the middle quarters, and 4%
fall within the top quarter.
% born in other countries (ABS data): 3.3%
Diversity (cultural, religious, language, 16% of the students are
socio economic, geographical, other): indigenous.
Other important information: Students come from a range of
surrounding towns.
Include a map of the school/preschool Not available
(highlighting relevant structures/resources.
Site must not be identifiable)

Appendix B: Foregrounding the Context of the Learners: Class/Group Demographics

Year level: 4/5
Ages of children/young people: 9-11
Number of children/young people: 21
Ratio of boys/girls: 12 girls, 9 boys
INQUIRY PROJECT PROPOSAL KATE HAWLEY

Diversity (cultural, religious, language, socio economic, geographical, other):

Other: n/a
Include photographs of the classroom environment (*NB you may not include
children/young people/staff in photographs. Site must not be identifiable)

Appendix C: Case Study information (case 1 & case 2)

Refer to: Supervising Teacher’s documentation, site-based records, information from
children/young people (i.e. through interest inventories, get-to-know you
documentation, documentation of conversations etc)

Case Study 1
Name (pseudonym): Student 1
Age: 10
Year 4
Significant learning information: n/a, a student who is achieving an average or just
below average grade in the class.
Significant information gained from analysis of observation and/or work samples: n/a
Potential learning foci: n/a
Related teaching strategies: n/a
Analysis of learning: n/a
Anticipatory planning web (this is reflective of your unit plan, but should highlight the
differentiated learning experiences of this particular case):

Case Study 2
Name (pseudonym): Student 2
Age: 11
Year 5
Significant learning information: n/a, a student who is achieving an average or just
below average grade in the class.
Significant information gained from analysis of observation and/or work samples: n/a
Potential learning foci: n/a
Related teaching strategies: n/a
Analysis of learning: n/a
Anticipatory planning web (this is reflective of your unit plan but should highlight the
differentiated learning experiences of this particular case).
INQUIRY PROJECT PROPOSAL KATE HAWLEY

Appendix D: Timeline, Roles & Responsibilities Plan

Week 1 Data Collection Data Reflection on Reflection
Analysis children/young on practice
people
learning
Who will Data will be Data Reflection will Reflection
be collected by my analysis will be completed will be
involved mentor teacher be done by by me by completed
and what and myself in me. analysing work by me
action will the form of work samples and based off
they take? samples, student journal and
reflection and feedback mentor
student/teacher forms. teacher
feedback. feedback.
When will At least 2-3 The day of Each day we Once each
this take lessons in this each lesson have a day.
place? week. that data is mathematics
collected. lesson.
Where will In the In the In the In personal
this classroom. classroom. classroom. reflection
happen? document.

Appendix E: Data Collection Method Templates

E.1: learning experience 1 student feedback form
INQUIRY PROJECT PROPOSAL KATE HAWLEY