Jenny Gage, writing for NRICH, a math task design group based in Cambridge:

So what’s different about our approach:

• We start from a problem, not from a technique.
• The progression is from the empirical to the theoretical, with the formal aspects of the curriculum introduced through the problems.
• We start each problem with an experiment (using eg. multi-link cubes, specially adapted dice, as well as counters, numbered dice and coins) so that in watching the data accumulate, then analysing it, students can gain a sense of what is happening before being asked to make predictions (which are so often totally ill-informed).

The rest of the description is just as good.

I’ve interacted with the NRICH group a number of times here in the UK. Their approach to math task design is as solid as they come. Be sure to check out their resources.

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Alison:

Thanks for your kind words about NRICH! The probability stuff had its formal launch yesterday and can be found here. There are a couple of interactive apps with the problems, and more in the offing.