Academic literature on the topic 'Mathematics teachers'

This study explores the relationship between university mathematics teachers' beliefs about the nature of reading mathematics and their practices regarding reading mathematics. It is a response to the calls for reform in mathematics education, particularly to the assertion made by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics in 1989 that not all students can read mathematical exposition effectively and that all students need instruction in how to read mathematics textbooks. It presupposes a collaboration between reading and mathematics teachers to help students learn to read mathematics. The objectives were (1) to examine mathematics teachers' beliefs and practices regarding reading, mathematics, and thereby, reading mathematics; (2) to determine whether the theoretical perspectives implicit in those beliefs and practices could be characterized vis-a-vis the theoretical orientations that inform Siegel, Borasi, and Smith's (1989) synthesis of mathematics and reading; and (3) to determine the relationship, if any, that exists between mathematics teachers' beliefs about reading mathematics and their practices regarding reading mathematics. The synthesis presents dichotomous views of both mathematics and reading: Mathematics is characterized as either a body of facts and techniques or a way of knowing; reading, as either a set of skills for extracting information from text, or a mode of learning. The latter view, in each case, can be characterized as constructivist. The researcher was a participant observer in a university sumner program. The primary participants were fourteen mathematics instructors. Interviews were conducted using a heuristic elicitation technique (Black & Metzger, 1969). Field notes were taken during observations of classroom activities and other non-academic summer program activities. The data were coded using a constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) comparative method. Twelve instructors held conceptions of reading that were consistent with their conceptions of mathematics. Of those twelve, two held conceptions that could be characterized as constructivist; ten held conceptions that were not constructivist. Two instructors held conceptions of reading that were not consistent with their conceptions of mathematics. Of those two, one held a constructivist conception of reading but not of mathematics; one held a constructivist conception of mathematics but not of reading. Teachers' practices reflected their theoretical orientations. The study has implications for teacher education: If teachers' beliefs are related to their practices, then teacher education programs should (1) acknowledge the teachers' existing beliefs and (2) address the theoretical orientations implicit in various aspects of pedagogy.

This thesis investigates the different approaches adopted by two teachers for teaching mathematical content at the upper primary level of education. Questions have been raised by researchers about the impact teachers' philosophical background may have on their perception of how mathematics should be taught. Similarly questions have been asked about the role of content in mathematics education in relation to the process of education. The two teachers held different beliefs about what they were doing when they were teaching mathematics and why they were teaching that way. Their methodological emphases were different; one could be described as being more learner-centred and the other as more content-centred. This case study research analysed classroom observations, and interviews with the teachers and the students, collected over a twelve month period. The results indicated a difference in perception being expressed by the students in each class, about the mathematics they were being taught and its function in their own lives. The outcomes of this study were concerned with the impact of each teaching methodology. The qualitative nature of the research provides readers with data which may help them to make informed choices about approaches to teaching mathematics. Most importantly this study highlights the factors which may have an impact on how a teacher elects and/or feels constrained to deliver set mathematics curriculum.

This study analyzes the preservice elementary mathematics teachers&rsquo<br>self efficacy beliefs and outcome expectancies about using manipulatives and investigates whether, or not, university and gender differences have any significant effect on their self efficacy and outcome expectancies. In mathematics education, students&rsquo<br>conceptions about abstract mathematical ideas and being able to convert them into concrete ideas are very important. For this reason, it is very beneficial to use manipulative materials in the mathematics lessons. However, most of the preservice mathematics teachers in Turkey lack knowledge about using manipulatives. The sample of present study consisted of 77 senior undergraduate students studying in Elementary Mathematics Teacher Education programs at 2 different universities located in Ankara and Izmir. Data were collected in spring term of 2006-2007 academic years. The survey items were adopted from previously developed teacher efficacy instrument, which partly ensures the items to be parallel with the existing theory about the construct. The survey consisted of three parts<br>demographic information, knowledge about the manipulatives, and &lsquo<br>The Instrument of Preservice Mathematics Teachers&rsquo<br>Efficacy Beliefs about Using Manipulatives&rsquo<br>(EBMU). The present study demonstrated that the gender differences did not effect preservice elementary mathematics teachers&rsquo<br>personal manipulative use teaching efficacy whereas the university differences had a significant effect on their personal manipulative use teaching efficacy. In addition, the gender and university attended produced statistically significant main effect on preservice elementary mathematics teachers&rsquo<br>outcome expectancies.

The current study aimed to explore middle school mathematics teachers&rsquo<br>use of mathematics textbooks and examine their integration of tasks in the textbooks into teaching. The framework of a mixed methods research design guided data collection in this study. A questionnaire called the Use of Mathematics Textbooks Questionnaire was developed and validated to identify the ways teachers benefit from textbooks. The factor analysis revealed four dimensions, namely Reading Student Edition Textbook, Selecting Questions from Workbook, Reading Teacher Edition Textbook, and Selecting Tasks and Problems from Auxilary Books. The results of the study showed that teachers used the student edition textbook for mostly during class and for lesson preparation. Teachers also used the student edition textbook for explaining the topic and the introductory tasks. However, they rarely used it for selecting problems and examples. Teachers read the student edition textbook mostly during and prior to class<br>and mostly use it for topic explanation, but rarely for problems and examples. They stated that they frequently selected questions from the workbook that were not included in the textbook. However, they occasionally picked questions to use during lessons. They frequently used auxilary books to select questions similar to the ones in the high school entrance exam problems. In examining the process of teachers&rsquo<br>use of mathematics textbooks, it was argued that there were interpretive processes as teachers engage with and use textbooks. The analysis of interviews and observations showed that teachers read textbooks and select tasks and questions from those books. In their decisions about using tasks from textooks, teachers usually considered the nature of tasks and students&rsquo<br>characteristics.

Much research supports that student mindset influences how well students do in school and that teacher actions influence student mindset. Research has also shown that just because a teacher has a growth mindset, it does not imply that their students will also have a growth mindset. This research looks closer as to why a teacher's mindset does not correlate with their students' mindset by further examining teacher mindset and the connection between teacher mindset and teacher actions. In summary, teachers' mindsets do not directly influence student mindset for a few reasons: secondary mathematics teachers have different mindsets towards honors and regular students, while they have heard about mindset, they do not understand mindset deeply, and mathematics teachers do not know how to help their students develop a growth mindset.

Worldwide, there is considerable attention to providing a supportive mathematics learning environment for young children because attitude formation and achievement in these early years of schooling have a lifelong impact. Key influences on young children during these early years are their teachers. Practising early years teachers‟ attitudes towards mathematics influence the teaching methods they employ, which in turn, affects young students‟ attitudes towards mathematics, and ultimately, their achievement. However, little is known about practising early years teachers‟ attitudes to mathematics or how these attitudes form, which is the focus of this study. The research questions were: 1. What attitudes do practising early years teachers hold towards mathematics? 2. How did the teachers‟ mathematics attitudes form? This study adopted an explanatory case study design (Yin, 2003) to investigate practising early years teachers‟ attitudes towards mathematics and the formation of these attitudes. The research took place in a Brisbane southside school situated in a middle socio-economic area. The site was chosen due to its accessibility to the researcher. The participant group consisted of 20 early years teachers. They each completed the Attitude Towards Mathematics Inventory (ATMI) (Schackow, 2005), which is a 40 item instrument that measures attitudes across the four dimensions of attitude, namely value, enjoyment, self-confidence and motivation. The teachers‟ total ATMI scores were classified according to five quintiles: strongly negative, negative, neutral, positive and strongly positive. The results of the survey revealed that these teachers‟ attitudes ranged across only three categories with one teacher classified as strongly positive, twelve teachers classified as positive and seven teachers classified as neutral. No teachers were identified as having negative or strongly negative attitudes. Subsequent to the surveys, six teachers with a breadth of attitudes were selected from the original cohort to participate in open-ended interviews to investigate the formation of their attitudes. The interview data were analysed according to the four dimensions of attitudes (value, enjoyment, self-confidence, motivation) and three stages of education (primary, secondary, tertiary). Highlighted in the findings is the critical impact of schooling experiences on the formation of student attitudes towards mathematics. Findings suggest that primary school experiences are a critical influence on the attitudes of adults who become early years teachers. These findings also indicate the vital role tertiary institutions play in altering the attitudes of preservice teachers who have had negative schooling experiences. Experiences that teachers indicated contributed to the formation of positive attitudes in their own education were games, group work, hands-on activities, positive feedback and perceived relevance. In contrast, negative experiences that teachers stated influenced their attitudes were insufficient help, rushed teaching, negative feedback and a lack of relevance of the content. These findings together with the literature on teachers‟ attitudes and mathematics education were synthesized in a model titled a Cycle of Early Years Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Mathematics. This model explains positive and negative influences on attitudes towards mathematics and how the attitudes of adults are passed on to children, who then as adults themselves, repeat the cycle by passing on attitudes to a new generation. The model can provide guidance for practising teachers and for preservice and inservice education about ways to foster positive influences to attitude formation in mathematics and inhibit negative influences. Two avenues for future research arise from the findings of this study both relating to attitudes and secondary school experiences. The first question relates to the resilience of attitudes, in particular, how an individual can maintain positive attitudes towards mathematics developed in primary school, despite secondary school experiences that typically have a negative influence on attitude. The second question relates to the relationship between attitudes and achievement, specifically, why secondary students achieve good grades in mathematics despite a lack of enjoyment, which is one of the dimensions of attitude.

L’estudi del coneixement matemàtic i les creences de l’eficàcia de l’ensenyament de les matemàtiques en la formació inicial dels futurs mestres és fonamental, ja que influencia el rendiment acadèmic dels seus estudiants. L’objectiu d’aquesta tesi és estudiar tant el coneixement matemàtic inicial dels futurs mestres com també les seves creences sobre l’eficàcia matemàtica i la seva actitud envers les matemàtiques. Per a complir amb l’objectiu, es realitzen vàries investigacions. Primer, s’estudien els coneixements inicials de nombres i geometria dels estudiants del primer curs del Grau d’Educació Primària a la Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV). En segon lloc, s’estudien les creences de l’eficàcia de l’ensenyament de les matemàtiques dels futurs mestres durant el grau. En tercer lloc, en aquesta Tesi es compara l’autoeficàcia i l’expectativa de resultats de l’ensenyament de les matemàtiques de futurs mestres, mestres novells i mestres experimentats. En quart lloc, s’estudia la relació entre les creences de l’ensenyament de les matemàtiques, l’actitud envers les matemàtiques i el rendiment acadèmic dels futurs mestres. En cinquè lloc, s’estudia la influència dels factors experiència docent, nivell d’educació i nivell d’ensenyament sobre les creences de l’eficàcia de l’ensenyament de les matemàtiques en mestres en actiu. Finalment, es compara l’autoeficàcia de l’ensenyament de les matemàtiques entre els estudiants del quart any del grau de mestres a la Universitat del Azuay i a la URV. Els resultats d’aquesta Tesi ofereixen informació potencialment important sobre el coneixement matemàtic, les creences, l’autoeficàcia de l’ensenyament de les matemàtiques i l’actitud envers les matemàtiques dels futurs mestres i dels mestres en actiu. Aquests resultats poden ajudar a desenvolupar polítiques adients a l’hora de dissenyar plans d’estudis i també assessorar als professors dels graus de mestre en les institucions d’educació superior.<br>El estudio del conocimiento matemático y las creencias de la eficacia de la enseñanza de las matemáticas en la formación inicial de los futuros maestros es fundamental, ya que influye en el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes. El objetivo de esta tesis es estudiar tanto el conocimiento matemático inicial de los futuros maestros como sus creencias sobre la eficacia matemática y su actitud hacia las matemáticas. Para cumplir con el objetivo se realiza varias investigaciones. Primero, se estudia los conocimientos iniciales de números y geometría de los estudiantes de primer año del Grado de Educación Primaria en la Universidad Rovira y Virgili (URV). En segundo lugar, se estudia las creencias de la eficacia de la enseñanza de las matemáticas de los futuros maestros a lo largo del grado. Tercero, esta Tesis compara la autoeficacia y la expectativa de resultados de la enseñanza de las matemáticas de futuros maestros, maestros novatos y maestros experimentados. Cuarto, se estudia la relación entre las creencias de la enseñanza de las matemáticas, la actitud hacia las matemáticas y su rendimiento académico. Quinto, se estudia la influencia de los factores experiencia docente, nivel de educación y nivel de enseñanza, sobre las creencias de la eficacia de la enseñanza de las matemáticas en maestros en servicio. Finalmente, se compara la autoeficacia de la enseñanza de las matemáticas entre los estudiantes de cuarto año del grado de maestro en la Universidad del Azuay y en la URV. Los resultados de esta Tesis ofrecen información potencialmente importante sobre el conocimiento matemático, las creencias, la autoeficacia de la enseñanza de las matemáticas y la actitud hacia las matemáticas de los futuros maestros y maestros en servicio. Estos resultados pueden ayudar a desarrollar políticas adecuadas para diseñar planes de estudios y también asesorar a los profesores de los grados de maestro en las instituciones de educación superior.<br>The study of mathematical content knowledge and teachers’ mathematics teaching beliefs of the pre-service teachers is fundamental, since it influences the academic performance of students. The objective of this Thesis is to study the initial mathematical knowledge of pre-service teachers and also their teachers’ mathematics teaching beliefs and their attitude towards mathematics. To meet the objective, various investigations are carried out. First, the initial knowledge of numbers and geometry of first-year students of the primary education degree at the Rovira and Virgili University (URV) is studied. Second, pre-service teachers’ mathematics teaching beliefs are studied throughout the grade. Third, this Thesis compares the self-efficacy and the expectation of results of the teaching of mathematics of pre-service teachers, novice in-service teachers and experienced in-service teachers. Fourth, the relationship between the teachers’ mathematics teaching beliefs, the attitude towards mathematics and their academic performance is studied. Fifth, the influence of the factors teaching level factor and level of training on the teachers’ mathematics teaching beliefs of in-service teachers is studied. Finally, the self-efficacy of mathematics teaching of fourth-year students at the Azuay University and at the URV is compared. The results of this Thesis offer potentially important information on the mathematical knowledge, beliefs, self-efficacy of mathematics teaching and the attitude towards mathematics of pre-service teachers and in-service teachers. These results can help develop policies for curriculum developers and teaching professors at institutes of higher education.

This study investigated the interaction of mathematics teachers with learners’ mathematical errors. The teachers’ verbal interaction with learners’ errors during learning periods and their written interaction in assessment tasks were explored. The study was contextualized in grade 9 secondary school classrooms in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The investigation was epistemologically underpinned by constructivism/socio-constructivism. The investigation was qualitatively approached through four case studies. Structured and semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and learners’ written assessment tasks were employed as sources of data. The participating teachers were described in terms of their beliefs about mathematics, their beliefs about learners’ mathematical errors, their observed prevalent teaching approach and their professed and enacted interaction with learners’ mathematical errors. Within-case and cross-case comparisons ensued. The findings proposed that when teachers believed that the value of learners’ errors was vested in the corrections thereof, rather than employing these opportunities for discussion, valuable opportunities for learners to develop and improve their meta-cognitive abilities might potentially be lost. The findings further indicated that a focus on the mere correction of learners’ errors probably denied learners opportunities to develop a mathematical discourse. The results of the investigation illuminated that an emphasis on achievement during assessment, together with a disapproving disposition towards errors among teachers and learners, were hindrances. They acted as barriers to engendering a socio-constructivist learning environment in which interactions with learners’ errors could enhance learning and establish a negotiating mathematical community. A concurrence between the teachers’ prevalent teaching approach and their mathematical beliefs was confirmed. However, in two of the four cases, a dissonance was revealed between their prevalent teaching approach and their interaction with learners’ errors. Interaction with learners’ mathematical errors was hence identified as a separate and discrete component of a teacher’s practice. The findings suggest the explicit inclusion of error-handling in reform-oriented teacher-training and professional development courses to utilize learners’ mathematical errors more constructively.<br>Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010.<br>Science, Mathematics and Technology Education<br>unrestricted

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, School of Education, 2008.<br>Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Jul 21, 2009). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-10, Section: A, page: 3849. Adviser: Signe Kastberg.