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Experiencing Active Mathematics Learning: Meeting The Expectations For Teaching And Learning In Mathematics Classrooms, Kristy Litster, Beth L. Macdonald, Jessica F. Shumway

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

Active learning mathematics classrooms incorporate meaningful activities that emphasize reasoning, thinking and active interaction with mathematics. Current mathematics standards and curricula recommend that Mathematics Teacher Educators (MTEs) use elements of active learning in their mathematics content courses specifically designed for Prospective Teachers (PTs) as they prepare PTs to learn and teach mathematics. However, it can be very difficult for PTs to shift their pedagogical dispositions towards instruction associated with active learning because they typically have not experienced mathematics taught in this way. This article focuses on two instructional practices for MTEs to use with PTs. First, selecting tasks that promote …