Inquiry-based learning in lower-secondary mathematics education in China (Beijing) and the Netherlands

Abstract

Mathematics is considered to be a human activity and students should actively participate in the learning process. These features are fostered in inquiry-based learning (IBL). IBL is interpreted as a teaching approach that challenges students to solve problem situations before formal explanations and solution procedures are provided. The understanding and practices of IBL might be impacted by teaching cultures, which are considered to be remarkably different in East Asia and the West and have led to stereotypes. This study tried to move beyond these stereotypes and explored the current situations of IBL in lower-secondary mathematics education. China, specifically Beijing, and the Netherlands were taken as examples of the two teaching cultures. Perspectives of students, teachers, textbooks and classroom practices were explored. Chapter 2 focuses on students’ experience of IBL-related activities in mathematics lessons and their preference. 858 Beijing students from 30 classes and 441 Dutch students from 19 classes participated in the survey. Results show that generally the Beijing sample reported experiencing IBL activities in most mathematics lessons and the Dutch sample in some lessons. Students in both samples preferred the same amount of IBL activities as they experienced. Students’ reports show similar patterns. Chapter 3 focuses on beliefs and practices related to IBL described by mathematics teachers. 30 Beijing and 19 Dutch teachers participated in the semi-structured interviews. Results show that the two groups of teachers mentioned many shared IBL beliefs and practices. Compared to the Beijing teachers, although the Dutch teachers did not indicate a more frequent use of IBL as expected, they seemed to describe a lower level of teacher support. Chapter 4 focuses on to what extent opportunities for IBL are provided in mathematics textbooks through analyzing 404 Beijing and 244 Dutch algebra and geometry tasks. Results show many shared IBL features between the Beijing and Dutch textbooks. The textbooks allow students to make some choices to organize mathematically and explore solution procedures, but not to question, hypothesize, collaborate, communicate or reflect. Higher levels of IBL are rarely achieved. Chapter 5 focuses on to what extent IBL practices are involved in Chinese mathematics lessons. This chapter is based on 24 lessons of five Beijing teachers, including 19 usual lessons and 5 required IBL lessons. Compared with the usual lessons, the teachers distributed more time to introduce new content in the IBL lessons, while they kept whole-class activity as the dominating form, and they did not adjust much with respect to IBL practices. More opportunities for students to pose questions to tackle and hypothesize should be provided. Generally, although students reported some experiences of IBL in their lessons, mathematics teachers may not have a complete understanding of IBL and the full IBL cycle, thus they often do not include all phases of the IBL cycle in their teaching. This is possibly also related to the lack of abundant opportunities for IBL present in textbooks. Many shared features related to IBL between our Beijing sample and Dutch sample were identified, which challenges the stereotypes about teaching cultures.