Math Education / Teaching & Learning Tips and Strategies

Implementation of Investigative Approaches: 

Challenges, Opportunities and Strategies

Many research have proven that investigative approaches play a very important role in the development of mathematics education. The argument that investigative approaches consume much planning and implementation time, therefore reined teacher from completing the contents was first discussed and evaluated by this article. Small survey has been conducted to assist in the evaluation of the argument. The purposes of this article is (a) to review possible reasons for integrating constructivist and traditional approaches into mathematics class and (b) to review the strategies that have been used to implement the investigative approaches into everyday classroom teachings in order to help teachers plan their teaching and adapt those strategies into their classrooms. Obviously, although investigative approaches are excellent in promoting meaningful mathematics, a bit of traditional touch is useful (in term of its legitimate nature and its firm procedural knowledge and behavioural towards mathematics) to elevate mathematics education in general.  

Introduction

“I don’t have time to try group work or investigative approaches in my classroom.
I’m flat out covering the content so the kids will be properly prepared for the test.”

             It is believed that the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) had published the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics at the right time. It was published while a growing worrisome was emerged about the failure of school mathematics in inducing the meaningful learning and the ability to confidently use mathematics among the school leavers. Bunch of research arose to support and elaborate the investigative, exploratory, open-ended activities which underpin the active learning environment suggested by NCTM and constructivism. However, constructivism theory only provides description on how students learn and understand mathematics but do not configure how teachers should act to induce active learning in their classroom (Draper, 2002). As the result, the statement excerpted above is maybe one of examples of teacher’s gambits when the implementation of the investigative approach is discussed. This statement will be evaluated and discussed critically in this article due to the fact that it becomes among the most popular reasons for not implementing investigative approaches and for the sake of excelling mathematics reforms, it must not simply be ignored (Norton, McRobbie, & Cooper, 2002; Walle, 1999). This article then argues that the investigative approaches shall be integrated with the content-based approach at least in the transition period. Several rationales based on article, journal and book reviews will be provided along with the discussion. Later, several strategies on implementation of investigative learning will be listed and discussed.