Ben Orlin at Math With Bad Drawings:
I’ve come to see this as a basic dynamic in math education reform: an illusory spirit of consensus. Clearly math education needs more something. But more what?
One popular answer: “more data science.” Let’s renounce all of those fusty, old-fashioned trigonometric formulas. Instead, fill math class with 21st-century virtues: data visualization, probabilistic thinking, and statistical literacy. This isn’t necessarily about new pedagogy; it’s about new content. It’s about re-centering math class on techniques that will cash out, on skills that students might actually apply.
Another popular answer: “more student-centered.” Let’s banish all tasks mechanical and rote. Instead, fill math class with open-ended puzzles, inquiry-based learning, and creative projects. This isn’t necessarily about new content; it’s about new pedagogy. It’s about re-centering math class on the voices, the ideas, and the ingenuity of the students themselves.
More here.
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