The Mathematics Teacher Exchange and ‘Mastery’ in England: The Evidence for the Efficacy of Component Practices
‘Mastery’ is central to current policy in mathematics education in England, influenced by East Asian success in transnational assessments. We scrutinise the prospects for mastery pedagogies to improve pupil attainment in English primary schools. The Mathematics Teacher Exchange (...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2018-11-01
|
| Series: | Education Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/8/4/202 |
| _version_ | 1811298348437602304 |
|---|---|
| author | Mark Boylan Bronwen Maxwell Claire Wolstenholme Tim Jay Sean Demack |
| author_facet | Mark Boylan Bronwen Maxwell Claire Wolstenholme Tim Jay Sean Demack |
| author_sort | Mark Boylan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ‘Mastery’ is central to current policy in mathematics education in England, influenced by East Asian success in transnational assessments. We scrutinise the prospects for mastery pedagogies to improve pupil attainment in English primary schools. The Mathematics Teacher Exchange (MTE)—an element of the mastery innovation—involves teachers visiting Shanghai and then hosting Shanghai teachers in their schools. Informed by programme evaluation, core component practices are analysed, which were implemented by schools belonging to the first cohort of MTE schools. These consist of: varied and interactive teaching; meaningful and coherent mathematical activity; and full curriculum access for all. These elements are supported, optimally, by collaborative, embedded, and mathematically focused professional development. Details of the implemented pedagogy and forms of professional development are reported. Differences from prevailing practice in primary mathematics in England are highlighted. Evidence is reviewed from quasi-experimental trials, reviews and meta-analyses, and rigorous observational studies of the efficacy of practices similar to the MTE mastery pedagogy components in order to assess the prospects for increases in pupil attainment. The analysis suggests that many of the specific practices, if considered individually, have the potential to improve attainment, though overall policy ambitions may not be realised. Based on the review, component practices are identified for which existing evidence justifies immediate implementation by schools and teachers. In addition, practices that would benefit from further testing and evaluation are highlighted. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T06:18:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-86cdba7a645946babd6fb3bf0e6c593d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T06:18:09Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-86cdba7a645946babd6fb3bf0e6c593d2022-12-22T02:58:44ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022018-11-018420210.3390/educsci8040202educsci8040202The Mathematics Teacher Exchange and ‘Mastery’ in England: The Evidence for the Efficacy of Component PracticesMark Boylan0Bronwen Maxwell1Claire Wolstenholme2Tim Jay3Sean Demack4Sheffield Institute of Education, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield S1 1WB, UKSheffield Institute of Education, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield S1 1WB, UKSheffield Institute of Education, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield S1 1WB, UKSheffield Institute of Education, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield S1 1WB, UKSheffield Institute of Education, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield S1 1WB, UK‘Mastery’ is central to current policy in mathematics education in England, influenced by East Asian success in transnational assessments. We scrutinise the prospects for mastery pedagogies to improve pupil attainment in English primary schools. The Mathematics Teacher Exchange (MTE)—an element of the mastery innovation—involves teachers visiting Shanghai and then hosting Shanghai teachers in their schools. Informed by programme evaluation, core component practices are analysed, which were implemented by schools belonging to the first cohort of MTE schools. These consist of: varied and interactive teaching; meaningful and coherent mathematical activity; and full curriculum access for all. These elements are supported, optimally, by collaborative, embedded, and mathematically focused professional development. Details of the implemented pedagogy and forms of professional development are reported. Differences from prevailing practice in primary mathematics in England are highlighted. Evidence is reviewed from quasi-experimental trials, reviews and meta-analyses, and rigorous observational studies of the efficacy of practices similar to the MTE mastery pedagogy components in order to assess the prospects for increases in pupil attainment. The analysis suggests that many of the specific practices, if considered individually, have the potential to improve attainment, though overall policy ambitions may not be realised. Based on the review, component practices are identified for which existing evidence justifies immediate implementation by schools and teachers. In addition, practices that would benefit from further testing and evaluation are highlighted.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/8/4/202masterymathematicsprimaryinnovationimpactprofessional developmenttransnationalcomparativeShanghai |
| spellingShingle | Mark Boylan Bronwen Maxwell Claire Wolstenholme Tim Jay Sean Demack The Mathematics Teacher Exchange and ‘Mastery’ in England: The Evidence for the Efficacy of Component Practices Education Sciences mastery mathematics primary innovation impact professional development transnational comparative Shanghai |
| title | The Mathematics Teacher Exchange and ‘Mastery’ in England: The Evidence for the Efficacy of Component Practices |
| title_full | The Mathematics Teacher Exchange and ‘Mastery’ in England: The Evidence for the Efficacy of Component Practices |
| title_fullStr | The Mathematics Teacher Exchange and ‘Mastery’ in England: The Evidence for the Efficacy of Component Practices |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Mathematics Teacher Exchange and ‘Mastery’ in England: The Evidence for the Efficacy of Component Practices |
| title_short | The Mathematics Teacher Exchange and ‘Mastery’ in England: The Evidence for the Efficacy of Component Practices |
| title_sort | mathematics teacher exchange and mastery in england the evidence for the efficacy of component practices |
| topic | mastery mathematics primary innovation impact professional development transnational comparative Shanghai |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/8/4/202 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT markboylan themathematicsteacherexchangeandmasteryinenglandtheevidencefortheefficacyofcomponentpractices AT bronwenmaxwell themathematicsteacherexchangeandmasteryinenglandtheevidencefortheefficacyofcomponentpractices AT clairewolstenholme themathematicsteacherexchangeandmasteryinenglandtheevidencefortheefficacyofcomponentpractices AT timjay themathematicsteacherexchangeandmasteryinenglandtheevidencefortheefficacyofcomponentpractices AT seandemack themathematicsteacherexchangeandmasteryinenglandtheevidencefortheefficacyofcomponentpractices AT markboylan mathematicsteacherexchangeandmasteryinenglandtheevidencefortheefficacyofcomponentpractices AT bronwenmaxwell mathematicsteacherexchangeandmasteryinenglandtheevidencefortheefficacyofcomponentpractices AT clairewolstenholme mathematicsteacherexchangeandmasteryinenglandtheevidencefortheefficacyofcomponentpractices AT timjay mathematicsteacherexchangeandmasteryinenglandtheevidencefortheefficacyofcomponentpractices AT seandemack mathematicsteacherexchangeandmasteryinenglandtheevidencefortheefficacyofcomponentpractices |