Designing for Inquiry in School Mathematics

Teaching algebra for understanding requires a shift toward mathematical reasoning, away from merely memorizing procedures. To this end we developed a guided inquiry, technology-based algebra curriculum: Visual Math (LIR’OT MATEMATICA, in Hebrew, CET, 1995). The design of VisualMath is rooted in the philosophical stance in favor of mathematical reasoning and in socio-cultural pedagogical practices. I argue that in order to design for an inquiry curriculum in school mathematics, it is important to develop a perspective toward the subject matter and to design in a way that reflects this perspective