Ant Covered Brownies: A Math Education Field Study
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Authors
Sparow, Melissa
Issue Date
2013
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
During the summer of 2012, I spent eight weeks in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on the
island of San Cristobal, Galapagos, Ecuador. My purpose was to work with the Ministry of
Education on a project aimed to prepare the local school system for a mathematics curricular
reform that will take place during the 2013-2014 academic year. The new curriculum will
emphasize the importance of problem solving through experimentation and the use of
mathematical models to represent and interpret problems. Through a series of math workshops
based in modeling and investigation, I hoped to introduce local high school math teachers to a
portion of the new curriculum and assist in developing the necessary tools to effectively teach
the new curriculum, the Bachillerato General Unificado (BGU). When selecting this project I
understood the risks involved. My project was heavily dependent on external factors. Without
the support, participation, and open-mindedness of teachers, principals, and the curricular
director of the school district my project would be unsuccessful. I was prepared to modify my
project, although I was not fully anticipating the challenges I would face. I expected to change
my original lesson plans or schedule. I did not anticipate the cultural challenges or the lack of
participation which prevented the completion of my project. The day I prematurely terminated
my workshop series only one of nine participants attended. It was his birthday and I brought
brownies to share. After two hours I had no workshop, and a plate of ant covered brownies, an
image that accurately depicts my experience.
The following is an account of the development of my project, its implementation, and an
assessment of the successes and failures experienced while working in Puerto Baquerizo
Moreno.
Description
iii, 99 p.
Citation
Publisher
Kalamazoo College
License
U.S. copyright laws protect this material. Commercial use or distribution of this material is not permitted without prior written permission of the copyright holder.