Mathematics Researchers Land NFS grant To Study Proof-Based Courses

The ODAP project consists of a two-phase study focused on adapting research-based K-12 practices for orchestrating discussion to the new context of an undergraduate proof-based course.

SAN MARCOS – A team of researchers from the Department of Mathematics at Texas State University has received a National Science Foundation grant to study the instructor and student activity involved in promoting productive discussions in proof-based courses.

The three year project titled, “Orchestrating Discussion Around Proof (ODAP),” was funded for approximately $300,000. The Texas State team consists of Kate Melhuish, principal investigator, Robert Sigley, co-PI, and Kristen Lew, co-PI.

The ODAP project consists of a two-phase study focused on adapting research-based K-12 practices for orchestrating discussion to the new context of an undergraduate proof-based course.

The project team will hypothesize, pilot and refine a model for promoting productive discussion in this context through a series of task-based interviews (Phase 1) and classroom implementations (Phase 2).

The analysis will focus on the strategies that promote student engagement in three key activities connected to proof: comprehending, validating and constructing.

Findings will contribute to the field by testing the transferability of K-12 supports to the undergraduate setting. The project will also offer analyses of student-instructor interactions in proof-based course settings. This will complement current literature, which primarily relies on studies conducted in clinical settings.