Creating a pacing resource linked to new mathematics standards: collective sensemaking by multiple stakeholder groups
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Arren Duggan (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
- Advisor
- Victoria Jacobs
Abstract: This dissertation showcases collective sensemaking in action. The study was situated in a larger North Carolina project, in which educators took a systems approach to update the state’s instructional guidance infrastructure during content standards reform. Specifically, I investigated how K–5 educators from multiple stakeholder groups—teachers, instructional coaches, district leaders, and higher-education faculty members—worked together collaboratively to create an enhanced version of a statewide pacing guide, renamed an instructional framework that was designed to support the implementation of new state mathematics standards. Similar to most pacing guides, the instructional framework included suggested sequencing and duration of mathematics standards. However, in contrast to most pacing guides, the instructional framework also included (a) clusters of standards to emphasize mathematical connections and foster a coherent understanding of mathematics for students, (b) ranges of suggested durations to provide flexibility in meeting students’ learning needs, (c) links to standards of mathematical practice, and (d) educative information for educators about the mathematics, student learning progressions, and possible models of teaching. My study focused on a single case—the design of the third-grade instructional framework by a 9-member writing team that included 4 stakeholder groups. Data included 10 hours of audio recordings of conversations among the writing team members as they designed the instructional framework across three meetings. The analysis involved using the constant comparative method to understand the writers’ collective sensemaking during conversations and then the use of frequencies to detect overall patterns and patterns by stakeholder groups. I identified three categories of debatable topics that emerged during the conversations: topics that focused on the whole framework, a single cluster, and multiple clusters. I also identified five categories of discussion points introduced to resolve the topics or move the conversations forward. The discussion-point categories included consideration of mathematical content—a typical consideration for traditional pacing guides—as well as four additional considerations: students’ understandings, pedagogical connections, institutional obligations, and framework organization. Also of interest were the differential priorities for each stakeholder group as captured by the variability in the frequencies of discussion-point categories each group introduced. Findings indicated that each stakeholder group brought different priorities to the design process based on each group’s most prevalent discussion-point category, some omissions in discussion-point categories, and their perspectives within certain discussion-point categories. This study is an existence proof that collective sensemaking during the collaborative design of a resource is possible during reform efforts that use a systems approach. Findings also offer three insights related to the design of pacing resources during content standards reform, which could be of interest to district and state leaders and policymakers. First, the collective sensemaking opportunities that occurred during the creation of the framework led to the identification of four additional considerations—beyond the typical consideration of mathematical content—that writers of pacing resources should consider during the design process. Second, this study offers empirical evidence for the importance of involving multiple stakeholder groups in the design of resources. Based on their professional responsibilities, the stakeholder groups brought various experiences, expertise, and knowledge to the design process. This variation was particularly visible when comparing the frequencies of discussion-point categories for each stakeholder group. Each group had a different discussion-point category that they used most often, and one group never used a discussion-point category. Therefore, if all stakeholder groups were not involved in the design process, some discussion-point categories may never have been introduced (or addressed) during the creation of the third-grade framework. Finally, this study offers evidence of how taking a systems approach and including multiple stakeholder groups in the design process can help address three typical implementation challenges for content standards reform––misalignment with existing resources, lack of buy-in, and lack of collective sensemaking opportunities.
Creating a pacing resource linked to new mathematics standards: collective sensemaking by multiple stakeholder groups
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Created on 12/1/2021
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Dissertation
- Language: English
- Date: 2021
- Keywords
- Collaboration, Collective Sensemaking, Instructional Guidance Infrastructure, Multiple Stakeholder Groups, Pacing resource, Systems approach
- Subjects
- Mathematics $x Study and teaching (Elementary) $x Standards $z North Carolina
- Educational change $z North Carolina
- Group decision making $v Case studies