Join the Professional Learning Community on Outdoor Maths!

Are you passionate about outdoor learning in mathematics? Are you currently teaching in Key Stage 2 / Upper Primary?

A team led by Dr Pamela Moffett at Stranmillis University College and Dr Siún Nic Mhuirí from Dublin City University are keen to recruit interested teachers to join a Professional Learning Community (PLC) to develop and trial outdoor mathematical activities. Information below!

To express your interest in participating, please email e.symington@stran.ac.uk by Fri 27^th January 2023.

Outdoor Learning in Mathematics

This project, funded by the SCoTENS, aims to build teacher capacity for outdoor learning in mathematics through cross-border collaboration. We plan to develop an online resource for teachers to support their planning for teaching mathematics outdoors and to equip them with a variety of ideas for leading experiential mathematical activities in the outdoor environment.

In this phase of the project, we will be working with a Professional Learning Community (PLC) comprised of teachers from the North and South of Ireland to develop and trial activities.

Researchers

• Dr Pamela Moffett, Stranmillis University College, P.Moffett@stran.ac.uk
• Dr Siún Nic Mhuirí, Dublin City University, Siun.NicMhuiri@dcu.ie

Details of the project

We are inviting teachers to join the PLC and work with us to develop and trial outdoor mathematical activities for Key Stage 2 / Upper Primary.

Should you decide to participate in this project, you will meet online with the researchers and other members of the PLC approximately three times over the course of this year. You will be expected to contribute to discussions about teaching mathematics outdoors and to develop and trial outdoor mathematics activities with your class. You will also be expected to maintain a reflective diary throughout the duration of the project and to collect samples of children’s work and take photos and/or videos of children. These will be shared with the researchers and other members of the PLC during the online group meetings. Should we wish to use any of the samples of children’s work, photos or videos on the project website, we will seek the consent of the relevant parents/guardians and children before we do so. The online group meetings will be audio-recorded for research purposes.

Information and consent forms will be shared with children and parents/guardians prior to the project starting. We are happy to answer any questions that parents/guardians and/or children may have about this project. All participation is voluntary and there will be no penalty should you decide not to participate or if you decide to withdraw at any stage. Parents/guardians and children have the right to withdraw from the project at any time (without penalty) and can do so by contacting the researchers using the information above.

We would be happy to speak with you to answer any questions you may have. You may contact us directly using the information above.

Anticipated benefits

It is anticipated that the teachers participating in the PLC will benefit in a professional capacity from collaborating together to inform the development of the online resource. It is also expected that they will benefit from opportunities to develop their capacity to provide quality outdoor learning experiences in mathematics. Project outputs should help to raise awareness of how the outdoor environment can be used to support learning in mathematics across the broader teaching community. Ultimately, it is believed that the project will enhance children’s knowledge, skills and understanding in mathematics, their engagement in learning, and their health and wellbeing.

Ethical considerations

The research will be conducted to the highest standards with careful attention to rigour and integrity at each stage of the process and in line with the BERA ethical guidelines. The confidentiality of research participants will be ensured at all stages in the research, from data collection to analysis and publication, subject to legal limitations. All data will be held securely on a password protected webserver at Stranmillis University College and protected from external intrusion. Data will be destroyed no later than five years after completion of the project. All efforts will be made to protect the anonymity of participating teachers and children in reports and presentations associated with this project. Pseudonyms will be used for all participants in written reports. As this is a small-scale study it is not possible to guarantee complete anonymity. Participation in the project is entirely voluntary. Anyone who wishes to withdraw may do so, without penalty, at any point. He/she may inform the researchers via email. Anyone who wishes to withdraw will be consulted regarding the use of their data. If they are not happy for it to be used in the study, it will removed.