A Local Instruction Theory for Emergent Graphical Shape Thinking: A Middle School Case Study

Author:
Teo Paoletti University of Delaware, Newark

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Allison L. Gantt University of Delaware, Newark

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Julien Corven Illinois State University, Normal

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Volume/Issue:
Volume 54: Issue 3
Page(s):
202–224
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5951/jresematheduc-2021-0066
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Subjects:
Research, Action Research/Teaching Experiments
Keywords:
Emergent graphical shape thinking; Graphs and graphing; Middle school mathematics; Local instruction theory; Case study

Emergent graphical shape thinking (EGST) involves interpreting or constructing a graph as dynamically generated, which is useful across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Although evidence suggests that students as young as middle school can engage in EGST with support, other research indicates most college students and U.S. teachers do not spontaneously engage in such reasoning when potentially productive. We describe a local instruction theory (LIT) to support middle school students developing EGST as part of their graphing meanings. We then present a case study to show how two students engaged with a task sequence designed with the LIT in mind to develop meanings for EGST. This article illustrates general principles researchers and educators could use to promote students’ graphing meanings.

Footnotes

This material is based on work supported by the Spencer Foundation under Grant No. 201900012.

The guest editor for this article was Daniel Siebert.

Contributor Notes

Teo Paoletti, College of Education and Human Development, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716; teop@udel.edu

Allison L. Gantt, College of Education and Human Development, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716; agantt@udel.edu

Julien Corven, College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790; jccorve@ilstu.edu

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Copyright:
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Inc. All rights reserved. 2023
Page Count:
23
Article Category:
Research Article
Received:
20 Aug 2021
Accepted:
15 Nov 2021
Print Publication Date:
01 May 2023
Online Publication Date:
May 2023
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