FACT FLUENCY: A MIXED METHODS APPROACH TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF MATHEMATICS TEACHERS’ INSTRUCTION

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to impact teachers’ understanding of fact fluency and students’ opportunities to practice their mathematics facts in two third-grade, two fourth-grade and two fifth-grade classes at R. C. Neal Elementary School located in Bryan, Texas. I used a mixed methods embedded approach to investigate the effects of a ten-session professional development on fact fluency, teachers’ understanding and students’ opportunities to practice their facts. I led the professional development while also performing the role of investigator in the project. I used qualitative methods in the form of structured interviews of all participant teachers during phase one of the study to investigate teachers’ understanding of fact fluency. I then gathered observational data from walk-throughs in the participants’ classrooms, then quantified the strategies observed. During phase 3 of the study, I used qualitative methods in the form of structured interviews to determine the effectiveness of the professional development sessions. This findings from this study showed that the ten-session professional development session was effective in increasing teachers’ understanding of fact fluency and strategies. The data also indicated that there was an increase in students’ opportunities to practice fact strategies in the classrooms. The overall findings from this study indicate that the study was effective for both teachers and students.