This study investigated teaching tasks and student responses in a college-level mathematics course taught through an inquiry-based approach in the fall semester of 2018. The case study method was employed, and data were collected from video footage and observations of classes, interviews with teachers and students, discussions regarding problem solving, and a questionnaire. Qualitative data were classified on the basis of the teacher’s and students’ performance, and quantitative data were gathered from the questionnaire. In addition, triangulation was conducted on the analytical results and data, which were gathered from multiple sources. The results of this study indicated that the teacher’s inquiry-based mathematics instruction followed the process of “problem proposal and solution.” Specifically, the teacher assigned challenging tasks to the students to spark their motivation for inquiry. He then adopted the strategy of posing questions to guide the students through problems that required clarification and solutions. Analyzing the teacher’s questions, we found that the tasks assigned by the teacher were primarily related to “providing hints and bridging” and “asking for explanation.” The students’ learning process focused on the tasks of “searching and comparison” and “problem solving.” According to each of the student’s performance on the questionnaire and interview, most of them stated that the inquiry-based approach enabled them to understand the value of mathematics instruction.
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Teaching Tasks and Student Responses in an Inquiry-Based College Mathematics Course: A Case Study
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