Exploring Methods for Improving Teachers' Mathematical Quality of Instruction

The Exploring Methods for Improving Teachers' Mathematical Quality of Instruction (MQI) is an exploratory project at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Researchers are working with 4th and 5th grade teachers to improve their mathematics instruction by experimenting with different ways to implement the MQI model of professional development. The professional development requires teachers to critique and discuss videos of mathematics instruction. The professional development experiences are intentionally aligned with the Mathematical Quality of Instruction (MQI) observation instrument.

The researchers are investigating the impact of several variables on the success of their professional development model as measured by how well teachers can assess videos of mathematics instruction. Researchers are exploring the model by varying the modes of delivery (face-to-face or internet), meeting time (weekly or bi-weekly), facilitator involvement (high or low) and the type of video used (project video or personal video). They are producing case studies using the school group as the unit of analysis.

This research can inform models of professional development by providing more information about various ways that the same model of professional development can be implemented. The use of case studies provides an in depth understanding of the group dynamics and how the variables influence what is learned and observed by teachers of mathematics.