Inquiry-Based Mathematics Instruction at the University Level
The study followed three college/university mathematics professors as they participated in GBMP summer courses and attempted to change their own instructional practices to reflect inquiry-based pedagogy. Researchers examined course syllabi as well as observed all three revised courses on more than one occasion using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) and supplemental behavioral evidence checklists to record classroom practice.
Faculty focus groups and individual interviews were conducted to capture successes and obstacles to changing practice. Students in all courses met with researchers to discuss the effectiveness of the reformed instructional practices as well as similarities to and differences from mathematics instruction they had been exposed to in the past. Content analysis was employed to uncover themes in instructors' and students' responses. Samples of student work, including portfolios, were collected and analyzed using the same GBMP-developed rubrics used to track summer course participants' progress.
