PROCEEDINGS OF THE 22ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2019
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Spreading evidence-based instructional practices: Modeling change using peer observation
Page: 801
Evidence to date that active, student-centered learning in mathematics classrooms contributes to desired student outcomes has now accumulated to compelling levels. However, promoting and supporting widespread use of alternative practices is challenging, even amongst practitioners open to such changes. One contributing factor is the fact that a majority of instructional change efforts focus on only a small portion of the instructional system, while true transformation requires systemic reform. Successful institutional change initiatives have been shown to involve common features: they involve ongoing interventions, align with individuals’ beliefs, and work within the existing landscapes of institutional values. Here we propose a theory to support instructional change in undergraduate mathematics by adding a new dimension – instructor peer observation– to an existing model for institutional change (the CACAO model), thereby aligning with evidence regarding what promotes effective change. An exemplar is given to illustrate how this theory might be realized in practice.