Episode description

Anne Watson and Kris Boulton join me to discuss their answers to 8 big questions in maths education:

1. What do you see as the goals of mathematics education?

2. What does it mean to “be fluent” in something in mathematics, and is fluency important?

3. What does it mean to “understand” something in mathematics, and is understanding important?

4. Please tell us about one of your favourite maths resources/activities. Why do you like it?

5. What do you see as the key similarities and differences between variation theory and Engelmann's approach to direct instruction?

6. Is the distinction between a “novice” and an “expert” a useful one? If not, why not? If so, how might we tell if a student has moved from being one to being the other?

7. What - if anything - are the most important things for teachers to know and implement from cognitive science research?

8. What is an example of something important that you have changed your mind about?

You can access all the links on the episode show notes page here: http://www.mrbartonmaths.com/blog/anne-watson-and-kris-boulton-in-conversation/