2021 Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education Reports
2021
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Investigating the linkage between professional development and mathematics instructors’ adoption of IBL teaching practices
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Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) professional development workshops are designed to increase participants’ capacity to teach using IBL methods. This study used a sample of 312 participants from workshops held in 2010-2018 to examine the relationship between professional development participation, IBL capacity, and use of IBL teaching practices. We found that instructors’ IBL capacity, meaning the beliefs, knowledge and skills that prepare them to use IBL, and use of IBL teaching practices increased after participating in professional development. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior as a conceptual framework, we used a structural equation model to explain the effects of workshop participation and other factors on the use of IBL teaching practices. Findings indicated that workshop participation, collegial support, prior IBL experience, class size, and course coordination influenced workshop participants’ use of IBL teaching practices. These findings support the use of well-designed, intensive professional development as a means to change teaching practices.