There are useful key findings that will add to your discussion toolbox. Some appear to be common sense but it’s always good to have evidence to back your anecdotally based thoughts.
Here are a few to start off with:
- Calculators can enhance learning but they need to be taught how to use them properly and in a thoughtful way.
- Calculators in primary school aided a greater understanding of and fluency with arithmetic.
- Feedback and collaborative learning have positive effects on learning with the latter particularly so in secondary school.
- Discussion is a key element of mathematics teaching and learning but teachers need to actively structure these dialogues.
- Teaching thinking skills, metacognition and self-regulation can be effective in mathematics.
- Technology can be very effective, but it needs to be used properly.
- Homework: more effective at secondary than primary level.
- Subject (or ‘content’ in the report) knowledge referred to as CK on its own isn’t very effective. It needs to be translated into PCK – Pedagogic Content Knowledge, to have the most impact. in other words, it’s not what you know but how you deliver it that makes a difference.
There’s a lot more. It runs to 200 pages. But worth looking at the main points.
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