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Methods course documentation
Learning how to plan a new inquiry unit (D7.1)
Logistics and scheduling information (by Raffaella Borasi)

Choice of scope and format for this activity:

We think that student teachers have a special need to explicitly examine the process of planning inquiry experiences and look at models of such a process in action. Indeed, one of the most important things student teachers need to learn is how to plan effective instruction. At the same time, one could argue that student teachers have the advantage over experienced teachers that they do not have to "unlearn" other approaches to planning.

In our secondary mathematics teacher preparation program, student teachers are expected to design, teach and document at least one innovative unit as part of their full time student teaching experience. In preparation for such a task, we have recently asked them to read the essay that features the case-study of the planning of the Olympic Games Unit and then discuss as a group what it takes to plan inquiry units and, even more practically, how they could go about designing their "innovative unit" in light of these experiences.

Scheduling of this activity within the course

In our most recent pre-service implementations, this activity has been scheduled at the very beginning of the mathematics education course that follows the Methods course for secondary math pre-service teachers, so that it would take place just before the participants start their full time student teaching experience that semester.

Materials needed to implement this activity

• The essay "Planning a new inquiry unit: A case-study" (included in this package in the reproducible booklet "Suggested readings for the participants").
• Selected documentation about the case-study showcased in the video -- for the facilitator only, although it would be nice to have a copy available for reference during the discussion (see Instructional Materials).

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