1. Exploring ways to assess the impact of an intervention model taken ‘to scale’
Mellony Graven; Debbie Stott; Zanele Mofu; Nolunthu Baart; Gasenakeletso Hebe
SAARMSTE, January 2017

2. SARCHI Chair – SANCP (2011-2020)
Mandate to research sustainable ways forward to ‘crisis’ in numeracy education & simultaneously improve teaching and learning in local schools
Intervention projects:
teacher development COPs;
after school Math Clubs;
Family Maths (parent/community engagement);
STEAMING Ahead Camps;
district support (beyond EC);
aftercare centre partnerships

3. A hub of mathematical activity, passion and innovation
Engaging, serving and strengthening four key interconnected communities of practice

4. South African context of primary math ed
Crisis in mathematics education widely acknowledged (TIMSS & SACMEQ performance (despite relative wealth & investment)
DBE: ANA assessments ( ):
Gr 4 ave 35%; Gr 9 ave 13% - must redress gaps
Range of complex intersecting issues including poverty, language, teacher knowledge, OTL and time on task etc.
Unexplored aspect – passive, overly teacher dependent learning dispositions

5. Verwoerd quote – Maths not for all
Apartheid legacy
Verwoerd quote – Maths not for all
Education under apartheid was about control - denied all learners agency
Learner dispositions display more teacher dependence and ‘helplessness’
BUT Math Ed for 21st C demands learner agency, critical, creative thinking, and productive learning dispositions
AND PD is one of the essential 5 strands of MP

6. Clubs opportune spaces to change mathematics learning dispositions
Free from curriculum compliance (revisiting and moving beyond)
Smaller group allows increased individual attention; learner discussion and tailoring of activities
Free to develop new socio mathematical norms (be messy & mistakes are great!)
Volunteer nature & no assessment for ‘grades’ allows for development of self-motivation

7. Also spaces to shift learner MP
Evidence of clubs shifting learner dispositions (e.g. Hewana; Ndongeni; Graven; Stott)
Evidence of clubs shifting learner performance and (fluencies and strategies) – Stott; Graven
Widespread interest in clubs led to expansion (various provinces, districts and after care centres)
Initially ad hoc ‘training’ and material support (also available on website)

8. Push to expansion
Increasingly in Phase 2 need to show projects taken ‘to scale’ - ‘expansion of sphere of influence’
Required clearer and session by session packaged design
Led to the ‘Pushing for Progression’ club programme

9. Pushing for Progression programme - overview
Debbie Stott

10. Design of club programme and evolution of the PfP
Club programme design origin:
In Stott’s PhD research in 2 clubs
Based on broad perspective of Vygotskian learning and development (see 2016 SAARMSTE paper)
Sfard’s (1998) early work with learning metaphors
Valsiner’s (1997) zone theory
Kilpatrick et al. (2001) Mathematical proficiency
PfP structure and content arose from:
Experiences of working with after-care centres and other educators in Grahamstown & beyond
Five years on: learning programme design for primary after-school maths clubs in South Africa

11. Overview of the programme
16-week programme (approx 2 school terms)
15-week programme can be run twice a year with different groups of learners or extended with same learners
1st workshop session - one week before the programme starts
Week 0
Weeks 1 to 3
Week 3
Weeks 4 to 9
Week 9
Weeks 10 to 15
Workshop One
Run 3 weekly club sessions
Workshop Two
Run 6 weekly club sessions
Workshop Three
Run 6 weekly club sessions
Orientation
Why progression?
Progression spectra
Assessments and profiling
In-depth look at the programme for 1st 3 clubs
1st session: administer assessment and profile learners
In-depth look at the programme for next 6 clubs with a focus on addition and subtraction
On-going informal assessment and profiling of learner progress
In-depth look at the programme for next 6 clubs with a focus on multiplication and division
On-going informal assessment and profiling of learner progress
In 15th session: re-administer assessment and re-profile learners

12. Key idea 1: Understanding and fluency
Conceptual understanding:
Comprehension of mathematical concepts, operations, and relations
The ability to:
use multiple representations
estimate
make connections and links
understand properties of number systems (i.e. number sense)
Procedural fluency:
Skill in carrying out procedures flexibly, accurately, efficiently, and appropriately
The ability to
solve a problem without referring to tables and other aids
Use efficient ways to add, subtract, multiply and divide mentally and on paper
understand when it is appropriate to use procedures or not

13. Key idea 2: Number sense

14. Key idea 3: Learner progression (learning trajectories)
Addition and subtraction
Multiplication and division

15. Key idea 4:Mathematical proficiency and participation

16. Monitoring learner progression/impact
Assessment aspect of PfP

17. Assessment Process
Prepare
Administer
Profile
In week 1
And week 15

18. Using progression spectrum / learning trajectory
Profile …
Quantitatively:
Learner scores out of 20
Pre and post comparisons and % changes
Using progression spectrum / learning trajectory
Snapshot of learners positions along the spectrum
Analysis of changes

19. Profile process…

20. Profile…
Using profile schedules to get a snapshot of the club

21. Learner progression data summary: All clubs 237 learners
Biggest changes in multiplication and division

22. Learner progression data summary: All clubs 237 learners
148 learners achieved a change up to 29% (approx 62% of the learners)
% RANGES
No. Learners
% of whole
0-29
148
62.4%
30-39 41
17.3%
40-49 22
9.3%
50-59 15
6.3%
60-69 6
2.5%
70-79 2
0.8%
80-100 3
1.3%
TOTAL
237
100.0%
63 learners achieved a change between 30 & 49% (approx 26.6% of the learners)
26 learners achieved a change between 50 & 100% (approx 11% of the learners)

23. Zanele Mofu
Eastern Cape

24. Overview of project 16 teachers starting new clubs
6 learners each = 96 Grade 2 & 3 learners
(63 assessed both pre & post)
Focus:
PhD study
teacher learning in Community of Practice
But still collected learner data for
Teacher’s to profile and track learner progression in their clubs
broader SANCP

25. Mofu learner progression data: GRADE 2 12 learners
Biggest changes in addition and multiplication
2 learners achieved a change between 30 & 39%
10 learners achieved a change up to 29%

26. Mofu learner progression data: GRADE 3 51 learners
Pleasing changes in all operations
11 learners (7, 2, 1, 1) achieved a change between 50 & 100%
22 learners achieved a change up to 29%

27. Nolunthu Baart
Eastern Cape

28. 6 teachers starting new clubs 12 learners each = 60 learners Focus:
Overview of project
6 teachers starting new clubs
12 learners each = 60 learners
Focus:
Masters study
learner progression, learner dispositions
teacher experiences of working with the learners in the clubs

29. Baart learner progression data: GRADE 6 60 learners
Pleasing changes in all operations
11 learners (7, 2, 1, 1) achieved a change between 50 & 100%
30 learners achieved a change up to 29%

30. Gasenakeletso Hebe
North West

31. 12 teachers starting new clubs 12 learners each = 144 learners Focus:
Overview of project
12 teachers starting new clubs
12 learners each = 144 learners
(114 learners assessed both pre & post)
Focus:
Masters study
learner progression
teacher experiences of working with the learners in the clubs

32. Hebe learner progression data: GRADE 3 114 learners
Pleasing changes in all operations
11 learners (5, 3, 1, 2) achieved a change between 50 & 100%
70 learners achieved a change up to 29%

33. Thank you!