Using Lesson Design as a Vehicle for Faculty Professional Development

Abstract

In this article, we describe the development of a lesson plan template and its basis in research. In particular, we summarize research supporting the need for mathematics instructors to build students' conceptual understanding and to engage students throughout instruction. We explain how these elements were incorporated into the lesson plan and include excerpts from sample plans. Then, we describe how this lesson plan template was used as the basis for professional development for local adjunct mathematics instructors, and the participants' evaluation of the experience. Finally, we describe what the authors learned from the evaluation and the participants' lessons.

Keywords:

• Mathematics professional development
• lesson design
• college instruction
• cooperative learning
• conceptual understanding
• student engagement

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was funded in part by the U.S. Department of Education, P336B040052-07.