We all know the past many months have presented challenging circumstances to do our work. Facing these challenges underscores the importance of personal and professional social networks to maintain one’s connection, productivity, and wellbeing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CEDER, the organization contracted to do evaluation work on behalf of GeT Support, has used social network theory (see, e.g., Borgatti & Ofem (2010) and Portes (1998)) to learn about the experiences members of GeT: A Pencil have had in the group. My purpose here is to share some of the findings from our analysis.

Our analysis relied on data collected from a survey and interviews with members of GeT: A Pencil. Our survey included questions about group interaction and the activities they did together. In total, 18 of 29 members of GeT: A Pencil responded to our survey. These members generally had high levels of experience both as teachers of GeT courses and as members of GeT: A Pencil. Half of all respondents reported having taught a GeT course more than five times in their career. Also, more than half joined GeT: A Pencil at least two years ago. 

To complement the survey data, we also interviewed  members of GeT: A Pencil to learn more about their thoughts and experiences regarding activities and relationships within the network. We asked participants, for example, about ways their thinking about teaching has evolved as a result of participating in the network and how the network could be more supportive of their work as GeT instructors. We invited people for interviews who would help us understand the range of experiences within GeT: A Pencil, and CEDER staff interviewed 16 of 29 GeT: A Pencil members. 

When asked about benefits of being a member of GeT: A Pencil, most respondents discussed the interactions they have had with other community members. One member shared about opportunities to interact with others who have a wide range of expertise saying: 

“I feel like there’s lots of things happening all the time with [the community]. There’s a seminar I could sit in on, a group of people that are working on different issues that are national issues…I think one of the big strengths of the community that they’ve developed is the breadth. There are lots of different things that people are working on. Lots of different people that I could talk to if I have a particular question about a topic that I want to maybe change a little bit in my class, or maybe do something a little different next time. I have people that I could reach out to that I wouldn’t know about otherwise. There was not another place that I would be able to find out who’s doing something interesting or cool or intriguing in college geometry classes.”

This quote illustrates the quality of connections available to members of GeT: A Pencil. Survey responses also provided evidence of the breadth of activities that promoted connection among members. Analysis showed, for example, that members who reported reading the newsletter, using instructional resources shared within the network, and attending working group meetings formed connections with others that helped them reflect on their work as instructors in GeT courses.

Interviews provided further evidence that many relationships among members of GeT: A Pencil are supportive of members’ work as instructors. In interviews, respondents described changes to their teaching that they attributed to their participation in GeT: A Pencil. Eleven of the fourteen people who responded to this question reported they have changed or plan to change their teaching practices as a result of engagement with the community. Members reported they have changed their pedagogy to better facilitate conversations with students, make the course more interactive, or engage students in more problem-based learning. One member changed how they taught proof based on ideas they got from the community:

“We were doing proofs by transformation versus just proof by axioms, by axiomatic method. And I got some helpful ideas [from the community] about, in the classroom, having my students look at some proofs and approaching them through proof by trans- formation, when we had done it in another way previously.”

Some members described changes in their practice due to their increased awareness of how to teach the course for future educators. These members said that participating in the community helped them to develop a broader perspective on GeT courses, especially in terms of prioritizing the learning needs of pre-service teachers. One commented:

“I would say broadly, the thing that I’ve thought more deeply about is thinking about the teacher side of things as opposed to the math side of things. I’m trained as a mathematician, not a math educator, and so when I’m teaching that course or any of my math courses, I’m thinking to myself as a mathematician. Being in the GeT community, especially where I encounter more math educators, it’s made me more aware that I’m training future teachers when I’m teaching my math courses, and paying attention to those issues.”

In summary, GeT: A Pencil is a community with a goal of supporting members in their efforts to teach GeT courses. Evidence from the evaluation showed numerous examples of how members have connected amidst an ongoing pandemic. Specifically, the evaluation found evidence of members’ willingness to engage with each other in meaningful discussions about teaching GeT. This evidence shows ways in which GeT: A Pencil is accomplishing its goal of supporting members.

References

Borgatti, S. P., & Ofem, B. (2010). Social network theory and analysis. Social Network Theory and Educational Change, 17–29.

Portes, A. (1998). Social capital: Its origins and applications in modern sociology. Annual Review of Sociology, 24(1), 1–24.