Since 2010 there has been a phased introduction of a new post-primary mathematics curriculum entitled ‘Project Maths’ in Ireland. This new curriculum implies not only changes in content, but also changes to teaching and learning approaches within the classroom. Since curriculum is centralized in Ireland at both primary and post-primary levels, many curriculum reforms can be seen as ‘top down’ approaches. Teachers are at the forefront of curriculum change since they are central agents in implementing the intended curriculum. This research investigates the use of task-based teacher learning communities as a possible professional development structure to engage with curriculum change and attempt new teaching and learning approaches implied by that curriculum.

This research takes place in the important background of national curriculum change in a centralised post-primary system. There are two phases of schools engaged in this mathematics curriculum change process: phase 1 involved in an initial roll-out of 24 schools since 2008 and phase 2 involved in a national roll-out since 2010. Teachers from mathematics departments in both phase 1 and 2 schools voluntarily participated in this research as members of a task-based community of practice. The research questions how effective an approach this may be in encouraging mathematics teachers to engage with and implement a new, centralised, structured curriculum and compares this approach with two other European countries (UK & Cyprus) where centralised curriculum has been revised. The research also questions how effective an approach this may be in enhancing and developing the particular pedagogical practices envisaged by a new curriculum.

Teachers in Ireland, similar to many other countries, tend to operate independently in their classrooms with no regular reflection on curriculum and pedagogy, or observation of classroom practice. Any professional development experienced by teachers is taken on a voluntary basis and are experienced as ‘in-service’ workshops provided outside of school. This research introduces a subject-specific teacher community of practice, based in school, to provide both formal and informal opportunities for teachers to engage with a new curriculum. Through participating in the task of lesson study, teachers are involved in a form of micro-curriculum planning where they study the centralised curriculum, formulate student goals, plan a research lesson, and create teaching and learning materials. One member of the community conducts the research lesson while other members of the community observe students’ engagement in the lesson. Finally, all members of the community reflect on the objectives achieved within the research lesson. This lesson study cycle allows teachers to constructively engage with the curriculum, while sharing teaching strategies based on their own students.

While this is an Irish based study, the research aims to contribute to international literature in identifying how a task-based community of practice can promote teacher engagement in a curriculum change process. Based on a theoretical framework of transformative dialogue, the research also hopes to identify the features of community which support changes to teachers’ professional and pedagogical practices as a result of their participation in the community. Finally, the research aims to evaluate the task-based community of practice as a professional development intervention during the curriculum change process.

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