Sarah Ferguson, Denise L. Polojac-Chenoweth
Publication Date: March 22, 2024
Pages: 176
Problem-based instruction (PBI) is a research-based, student-centered instructional strategy that uses rich mathematical tasks to connect students' previously acquired math knowledge to new mathematical concepts. Unlike traditional teaching and learning strategies, PBI facilitates learning by making connections between mathematical concepts and real-world applications rather than through noncontextual, rote learning of skills, steps, and equations. This practical resource is an informative instructional tool for secondary mathematics teachers and teacher educators seeking to deepen their students' understanding of, and engagement with, mathematical learning. Highlighting both teacher and student perspectives, the text provides an overview of the PBI instructional strategy that includes best practices, guidance for implementation, and a companion website with more than 50 downloadable resources. In addition, readers will find 12 teacher-created sample lessons with prepared resources and detailed instructional guides. While written for novice PBI users, this book will enhance the instruction of teachers at all levels.
Book Features:
Sarah Ferguson is an assistant professor of mathematics at the University of Cincinnati. Denise Polojac-Chenoweth is an instructional and curricular coach and mathematics specialist in the Hillsborough County Public Schools, Florida.
“ Implementing Problem-Based Instruction in Secondary Mathematics Classrooms will be exceedingly useful for several audiences…. While other books speak in general terms about PBI, this book clearly and concisely defines it and provides a wealth of specific examples. It is a useful book to add to one’s professional mathematics education library.”
—Teachers College Record
"Ferguson and Polojac-Chenoweth do an amazing job of connecting theory about problem-based instruction (PBI) to practice about how to do it in an actual secondary mathematics classroom. This book is a great resource for any teacher looking to try out PBI in their classroom or for mathematics teacher educators in need of resources for teaching about PBI."
—Travis Weiland, assistant professor of mathematics education, University of Houston College of Education
Contents
Preface vii
Introduction 1
Part I: Understanding Problem-Based Instruction
1. What Is Problem-Based Instruction? 9
2. PBI Teaching Strategies 16
3. PBI Lesson Planning 24
Part II: Sample Lessons
4. Designing a Gingerbread House 35
Liza Bondurant
5. Creating Living Spaces for a Mars Exploration 43
Julian Viera, Jr., Noé Guevara, Lilly Rader, and Olga Kosheleva
6. Redesigning Cereal Containers 52
Sarah Ferguson
7. Playground Castles 59
Jada Hastings and Sarah Ferguson
8. Quadratic Equations Explored Through Roller Coasters 66
Sarah Ferguson, Thomas Johnston, Christopher Karhan, and Eric Lefebvre
9. Birds of Fury 75
Mary E. S. Miller and Scott A. Courtney
10. My First Car 89
Denise L. Polojac-Chenoweth
11. Mini-Golf Madness 100
Denise L. Polojac-Chenoweth
12. Circles and Conclusions of Their Tangent Lines 108
Mitchell Fricke
13. Listening to the Sound of Sine Waves 120
Nicole Sebek
14. Statistics Explored Through the Principle of Airplane Flight 128
Kuan-Chun Chen and Cheng-Yao Lin
15. The Pollster Project 140
Heather Holcomb
Appendix: PBI Lesson Planning Template 156
References 159
Index 161
About the Authors and Contributors 165
Professors: Request an Exam Copy
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