Promoting a practice of active student-centred instruction into the mathematics classroom: matematita's "turnkey laboratory" kits

TL;DR

This paper reports on a field trial in Italy testing ready-to-use kits designed to promote active, student-centered learning in mathematics classrooms from primary to middle school, aiming to facilitate project-based learning.

Contribution

It introduces and evaluates prototype 'turnkey' laboratory kits for implementing project-based learning in K-8 mathematics education.

Findings

Successful classroom implementation of the kits

Positive feedback from teachers and students

Potential for wider adoption in mathematics teaching

Abstract

The aim of this report is to describe a field trial conducted in Italy during the academic year 2009-10, with primary and secondary school teachers (grades K-8), in order to test prototypes of "ready to use" kits to be used to implement PBL laboratory sessions in the classroom. This work is meant to provide a sort of snapshot of the classroom implementation of the teaching recommendations (so that any readers can conduct their own analysis). The kits were designed by matematita (Interuniversity Research Center for the Communication and Informal Learning of Mathematics, http://www.matematita.it). I wish to thank the "Ufficio Scolastico Regionale della Lombardia" for sponsoring the trial.