Search

The reported study is situated within the process of developing a reform-oriented national mathematics curriculum for compulsory education in Greece by a design team that involved teachers, academic researchers, and policy-makers. From an activity theory perspective, we identify the activity systems of mathematics teaching, research in mathematics education, and educational policy interacting in the design process. We focus on the contradictions between the three activity systems and how these were dealt with. We based our analysis on email exchanges during the curriculum design, field notes from whole-team sessions, and interviews with key persons. Our results highlight that the emerging contradictions primarily concerned the teaching and research activity systems. Members of the team who acted as brokers between the different activity systems and facilitated their interaction played an important role in overcoming the contradictions.

This study investigates teachers' argumentation aiming to convince students about the invalidity of their mathematical claims in the context of calculus. 18 secondary school mathematics teachers were given three hypothetical scenarios of a student's proof that included an invalid algebraic claim. The teachers were asked to identify possible mistakes and explain how they would refute the student's invalid claims. Two of them were also interviewed. The data were analysed in terms of the content and structure of argumentation and the types of counterexamples the teachers generated. The findings show that teachers used two main approaches to refute students' invalid claims, the use of theory and the use of counterexamples. The role of these approaches in the argumentation process was analysed by Toulmin's model and three types of reasoning emerged that indicate the structure of argumentation in the case of refutation. Concerning the counterexamples, the study shows that few teachers use them in their argumentation and in general they underestimate their value as a proof method. (Contains 1 table and 3 figures.)

This paper is methodologically based, addressing the study of mathematics teaching by linking micro- and macro-perspectives. Considering "teaching as activity", it uses "Activity Theory" and, in particular, the "Expanded Mediational Triangle" (EMT) to consider the role of the broader social frame in which classroom teaching is situated. Theoretical and methodological approaches are illustrated through episodes from a study of the mathematics teaching and learning in a Year-10 class in a UK secondary school where students were considered as "lower achievers" in their year group. We show how a number of questions about mathematics teaching and learning emerging from microanalysis were investigated by the use of the EMT. This framework provided a way to address complexity in the activity of teaching and its development based on recognition of central social factors in mathematics teaching-learning.

Focuses on the role of tools provided by a computer microworld (C.AR.ME) on the strategies developed by 14-year-old students for the area measurement of a non-convex polygon. Interprets and classifies student strategies on a transformation and comparison task into categories in terms of the tools used for their development. (Author/MM)

Focuses on two main issues concerning the mathematics education of prospective primary school teachers in Greece: the integration of mathematics and pedagogy, and the relationship of theory to practice. Discusses specific teaching approaches concerning the problem of integration both in mathematics and in mathematics education courses. (Contains 11 references.) (Author/ASK)

Describes a computer microworld for learning the concept of conservation of area and its measurement; analyzes its main features (drawing segments and polygons, manipulation of areas using simulations of children's sensory-motor actions, measuring areas, transforming areas into equivalent ones, and measuring lengths and angles); and presents the results of a pilot study evaluating the microworld. (Author/PEN)

Reports a study designed to identify 9 and 11 year olds' ways of drawing nets of solids and to provide opportunities for them to reflect on their models in whole class discussions. Results indicated that children's views of solids' nets progressed from more global and holistic to more quantitative and analytic. (MDH)

The Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education (JMTE) has been dedicated to evaluating and publishing papers that provide new insights into phenomena in mathematics teacher education. The journal has seen a significant increase in submissions, with contributions coming from various countries. Efforts have been made to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion in the research published in JMTE. The current issue focuses on complex phenomena related to mathematics teaching and teacher education, including the relationship between research and practice, reasoning with ratios among prospective teachers, teachers' experiences with mathematical modeling, and lesson planning practices and challenges faced by early career teachers. The issue also explores how secondary school mathematics teachers frame mistakes and the instructional strategies associated with different framings. The journal aims to advance our understanding of the multifaceted nature of mathematics teaching and teacher education. [Extracted from the article]

In this paper, we draw on our recent research to inspect again some of the theoretical perspectives we have been using to analyze data and to characterize teaching-learning in university settings. We focus particularly, within a sociocultural perspective on Activity Theory and the construct the "Teaching Triad," seeking to embed the Triad within an Activity Theory perspective. To achieve this, we relate the Teaching Triad with aspects of the sociocultural setting both in and beyond direct interactions in face-to-face teaching. While this is mainly a theoretical paper, an example is taken from observations of teaching in university lectures in a Greek university to show how these theoretical perspectives have provided insights to the institutional and cultural complexities involved and in what ways the Triad construct has evolved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tools and resources play a crucial role in mathematics teaching and teacher education, and their use has been widely discussed. Ding et al.'s article offers a teacher education structure for studying cultural influences on teacher noticing. Moreover, Chinese teachers paid more attention to mathematics content, while US teachers focused more on eliciting computational strategies. [Extracted from the article]

The article examines ways to implement innovative teaching approaches at scale. It mentions that research and experience reveal that innovative teaching approaches promoted by mathematics education researchers differ significantly from the day-to-day practices of teachers in many countries; and suggests that investigations of scaling up should be broad in scope and attend not only to the practices of teachers and researchers.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including coding scheme for analyzing primary mathematics teachers’ responses to children’s mathematical thinking; and teacher education model to promote mathematics teachers’ confidence and self-efficacy.

In his work with teachers, the classroom interaction becomes the basis of teacher reflection through videos of lessons. The means for investigating the links between teacher orientations, students' thinking and how to manage it in the classroom were the classroom scenarios structured in a particular way from the researchers. The findings also show that changing teacher beliefs is more complex than the outcome of a teacher education course as the state teacher assessment conditions have an impact on how prospective teachers feel and act. [Extracted from the article]

The study reported in this paper concerns the tensions and conflicts that teachers experience while they enact a new set of reform-oriented curricular materials into their classrooms. Our focus is οn the interactions developed in two groups of teachers in two schools for a period of a school year. We use Activity Theory to study emerging contradictions and we elaborate on the construct of dialectical opposition to understand the nature of these contradictions and their potential for teacher learning. We provide evidence that discussions about contradictions and their dialectical character in the two groups support teachers to engage differently in mathematics teaching and learning and carry potentials for shifts in the practices that evolve in their classrooms. Our study addresses empirically in the context of mathematics teaching the philosophical claim about the role of contradictions as a driving force for any dynamic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented with topics including research on mathematics teacher education, improving the quality of mathematics teaching, and mathematics teacher education in the case of leaders' professional development.

In this paper we provide a first overview of the landscape with respect to calculus teaching in European classrooms, an area where research is very limited. In particular through a small expert-based survey and a literature review, we trace the development of calculus teaching at schools in a number of European countries and identify commonalities and differences. In the current curriculum developments, we notice a reduction in the content of calculus and a more informal approach. The use of digital tools has started to be integrated in calculus teaching in most countries. However in some nations, teaching of calculus in the classroom is rather traditional, focusing on procedural aspects of knowledge. Moreover, in cases where more informal and conceptual teaching approaches are used in the classroom, often contradictions seem to exist with other contextual matters such as examination requirements. Finally, we discuss the future of calculus teaching in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes our joint activity as mathematics teacher educators and academic researchers in collaborating with both experienced and novice teachers in two contexts: an emergent community of inquiry into mathematics teaching and its development; and a research methods course, offered as part of a mathematics education Master's program, aspiring to initiate participating teachers into research practice through inquiry. Adopting an Activity Theory (AT) perspective, we analyse our activity, identifying its nature and transformations that frame our professional learning. The results indicate that our professional learning is the outcome of a continuous process of becoming aware of our own activity and its transformation in relation to that of the teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including mathematics teacher knowledge, the growth of prospective teachers, and the complexity of the construct of mathematics teacher knowledge.

The study reported here concerns 4 years of collaboration between secondary school teachers and academic researchers, constituting an emerging community of inquiry into mathematics teaching. In the article, the process of the forming of this community is discussed, focusing on the reflective activity developed by its members as well as the tensions and conflicts that emerged in the shaping of an inquiry identity by them. Furthermore, shifts in the mode of participation in the community and thus learning gains of all members are identified, with the teachers gradually developing an awareness of teaching practice in general, and the researchers becoming progressively acquainted with the reflexive relationship between inquiring into teaching practice and teachers' professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is methodologically based, addressing the study of mathematics teaching by linking micro- and macro-perspectives. Considering teaching as activity, it uses Activity Theory and, in particular, the Expanded Mediational Triangle (EMT) to consider the role of the broader social frame in which classroom teaching is situated. Theoretical and methodological approaches are illustrated through episodes from a study of the mathematics teaching and learning in a Year-10 class in a UK secondary school where students were considered as “lower achievers” in their year group. We show how a number of questions about mathematics teaching and learning emerging from microanalysis were investigated by the use of the EMT. This framework provided a way to address complexity in the activity of teaching and its development based on recognition of central social factors in mathematics teaching–learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article refers to a longitudinal case study of a primary school teacher over a period of 4 years. The focus is on the development of the teacher’s beliefs regarding mathematics teaching and learning from the last year of her university studies up to the third year of teaching mathematics in school. This development has been investigated within three different contexts, which have been distinguished in terms of the kind of support provided to this teacher. Two dominant beliefs emerged which have been traced through the period of the study from both the teacher’s reflections and actions. The first belief drew on the idea that what was considered an easy mathematical task by an adult could also be easily understood by children, while the second was that children learn mathematics through their actual involvement in a variety of teaching activities. The results indicate the way that teacher’s experiences from her university studies, actual classroom practice and inservice education interact and influence her beliefs and professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports research that attempts to make sense of the complexity of mathematics teaching and its development at secondary school level. The research was conducted in partnership between two teachers and two educator/researchers over one school term in two U.K. schools. A theoretical construct, the teaching triad, was used as an analytical device (by the researchers) and as a reflective agent for teaching development (by the teachers). The focus of analysis was the interactions between teacher and students at whole class and small group level. Both micro- and macro-analyses were undertaken. We present details of the processes involved in examples from the teaching of one teacher as she translated theoretical aims into classroom practice. The use of the triad allowed access to complexity, involving both psychological and sociological elements, and to the position of a sincere teacher with respect to competing forces in the educational system. The potential of the triad for teacher and teaching development is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on two main issues concerning the mathematics education of prospective primary school teachers in Greece: the integration of mathematics and pedagogy and the relation of theory to practice. In particular, specific teaching approaches are discussed concerning the problem of integration both in mathematics and in mathematics education courses. The problem of ``theory – practice'' is examined through an analysis of the kind of teaching practice in which the prospective teachers are involved. Finally, the constraints that the mathematics educators face and the impact of their work on the professional life of the teachers in the future are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports published within the issue which include the prospective secondary mathematics teachers's (PSMT) knowledge on the subject, the professional development for mathematics teacher, and the pedagogical knowledge of teachers,

Information about several papers discussed at the Seventh Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education (CERME 7) held February 9-13, 2011 in Poland on mathematical content knowledge needed for teaching (MCKT) is presented. Topics include the lesson study research, the problem solving-oriented approach, and an inquiry-based approach to mathematics. The evolution of teachers' beliefs and practices in collaboration with researchers over the long term is also tackled.

Abstract: This study investigates teachers’ argumentation aiming to convince students about the invalidity of their mathematical claims in the context of calculus. 18 secondary school mathematics teachers were given three hypothetical scenarios of a student''s proof that included an invalid algebraic claim. The teachers were asked to identify possible mistakes and explain how they would refute the student''s invalid claims. Two of them were also interviewed. The data were analysed in terms of the content and structure of argumentation and the types of counterexamples the teachers generated. The findings show that teachers used two main approaches to refute students’ invalid claims, the use of theory and the use of counterexamples. The role of these approaches in the argumentation process was analysed by Toulmin''s model and three types of reasoning emerged that indicate the structure of argumentation in the case of refutation. Concerning the counterexamples, the study shows that few teachers use them in their argumentation and in general they underestimate their value as a proof method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]