Nov 7: Exit slip

Today, the class finalized the topics for our inquiry projects, and we took turns sharing potential titles for our work. Initially, I had planned to explore classroom layouts. However, my practicum experience sparked an interest in other ideas, such as the student obsession with marks as external motivators and note-taking effectiveness during math lectures. Despite these compelling options, I decided to stick with my original topic on classroom layouts. My practicum school has a very traditional approach to teaching methods and classroom organization. This may make it an ideal setting to observe how minor changes in desk arrangements and teacher positioning could influence the overall classroom climate. Additionally, I am curious to explore whether the persistence of traditional classroom layouts is due to solid research and observations, or if it is merely the result of longstanding conventions. Beyond my topic, I am keen to learn more about Madison’s research on the first five minutes of class and Mark’s exploration of textbooks and workbooks.

In the second half of class, we learned how to use Google Scholar to find academic papers. Having relied on the UBC library during my undergraduate studies, I found the Google Scholar tutorial particularly helpful. I plan to use it as a starting point for my research. One challenge I have encountered so far is that while there is a lot of research on classroom layouts in general, there is a lack of studies specifically focused on their application in math education.