RUME 28
2026
Alexandria, Virginia
More Than the Sum: A Four Frames Analysis of Mathematics Departmental Teaching Culture
Page: 1094
Understanding departmental teaching culture has been recognized as a useful starting point for implementing instructional and institutional change. However, there is a lack of consistency in the literature with respect to how teaching culture is operationally defined and systematically measured. In order to begin addressing this gap, we highlight findings from a series of focus groups conducted within a math department in the Southeastern United States. Utilizing Reinholz and Apkarian’s (2018) Four Frames model, we characterize the department’s culture through the four interrelated frames of structures, symbols, people, and power. These frames provide a snapshot of the unique math departmental teaching culture, which can be leveraged not only to assess the effectiveness of future change initiatives, but also to individualize such change initiatives to meet the unique needs of the department.