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Eric.ed.gov – Problem Solving: How Do In-Service Secondary School Teachers of Mathematics Make Sense of a Non-Routine Problem Context?

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The concept of mathematical problem solving is an important mathematical process in mathematics curricula of education systems worldwide. These math curricula demand that learners are exposed to authentic problems that foster successful problem solving. To attain this very important goal, there must be mathematics teachers well versed in content and the pedagogy of problem solving. This study investigated problem solving process of in-service secondary school teachers in a non-routine problem context. Teachers? written responses were examined based on Polya?s problem solving theory to elucidate their disposition in relation to the problem context. Findings suggest that the in-service teachers exhibit (1) greater lack of understanding of the non-routine problem, (2) insufficient capacity to select appropriate heuristic strategies, and (3) total failure to reach the final “look back” stage.… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – “Of Being and Not Being:” Colombian Public Elementary School Teachers’ Oscillating Identities

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This article presents the partial results of a larger study conducted in Bogotá (Colombia) with public elementary school teachers. Given their nature, and since they are equally affected not only by one, but by every policy of the Colombian educational system, the primary school teachers cannot be treated here as if they taught English only. They are responsible for teaching all subjects (math, social studies, physical education, English, Spanish, etc.). Data were collected through focus groups. Partial results show that the teachers’ identities range from feeling powerful to feeling powerless, depending on where they stand, that is, the field of knowledge, in the classroom, and in their relationship with the policies makers. Link til kilde

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Eric.ed.gov – Impact of the Developing Mathematical Ideas Professional Development Program on Grade 4 Students’ and Teachers’ Understanding of Fractions. REL 2017-256

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Contemporary state math standards emphasize that students must demonstrate an understanding of the mathematical ideas underlying the computations that have typically been the core of the elementary school math curriculum. The standards have put an increased emphasis on the study of fractions in upper elementary grades, which are the years during which students build a strong foundation in fractions concepts. At the same time, the National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008) cites limited understanding of fractions as the key reason for the high failure rate in algebra courses. Longitudinal data from both the United States and the United Kingdom have demonstrated that knowledge of fractions in the elementary grades plays a powerful role in subsequent success in algebra, the gateway to math achievement in high school. Members of… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – The Relative Effectiveness of Traditional and Alternative Teacher Preparation Programs: A Review of Recent Research. MHEC Research Brief

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Teacher preparation refers to a “state-approved course of study, the completion of which signifies that an enrollee has met all the state’s educational or training requirements for initial certification or licensure to teach in the state’s elementary or secondary schools” (Department of Education, 2016, p. 6). The widespread concern for the quality of teacher preparation has extended to both traditional programs at four-year institutions and alternative programs created to address teacher shortages. This brief seeks to inform policies on teacher preparation by reviewing research on the effects of teacher certification and preparation programs in relation to student performance and teacher outcomes. Main findings include: (1) Traditional teacher preparation generally refers to a four- or five-year undergraduate program at a postsecondary institution. Alternative preparation programs, such as Teach… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – (Mis)Conceptions about Geometric Shapes in Pre-Service Primary Teachers

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: During the last reform, Slovakia has reduced geometry in curriculum in primary mathematics education. Pre-school education schools devote more time to geometry in curriculum, but this is not mandatory for all the children. In the primary schools, teachers devote very little lessons time to this problem. These lessons are mainly focused on technology of drawing rather than on creating the right conceptions, which results in below the average scores on international test results in Slovak students. One possible solutions is to improve the level of geometrical knowledge of primary education teachers and pre-service primary education teachers. This paper is focused on the knowledge of plane geometric figures and their properties. We found out that pre-service teachers in primary education have many misconceptions that started when these students… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Some Factors That Affecting the Performance of Mathematics Teachers in Junior High School in Medan

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Some Factor’s That Affecting The Mathematic Teacher Performance For Junior High School In Medan. This research will examine the effect of direct and indirect of the Organizational Knowledge towards the achievement motivation, decision making, organizational commitment, the performance of mathematics teacher. The research method is a method of surveying the number of respondents as many as 102 teachers of mathematics taken by stratified proportional random sampling. The research found there is a direct influence of organizational knowledge on achievement motivation, decision making, organizational commitment and the performance of math teacher respectively 16.3%, 13.1%, 12.2% and 4.54%. Achievement motivation, decision making, and organizational commitment have directly effects on the performance of mathematics teacher. The magnitude of changes in performance that can directly determine organizational knowledge, achievement motivation, decision-making… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – MOOCs Feasibility Study: Demand among Teachers in Rural Ghana

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a relatively new, low-cost resource that hold potential for improving learning in developing nations where resources are constrained and teacher expertise can be limited. However, little information currently exists about the effectiveness of leveraging MOOCs as a vehicle for teacher training. The aim of this study is to learn more about the awareness, interest and ability to access MOOCs among junior high and high school teachers in rural Ghana. Specifically, the author addresses the following questions: (1) What is the take-up following a light informational intervention nudging math teachers to enroll in a MOOC related to math education?; (2) What is the demand among school leaders, specifically headmasters, for MOOCs as a vehicle for teacher training?; (3) Can headmasters influence the… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Focusing on Mathematical Knowledge: The Impact of Content-Intensive Teacher Professional Development. NCEE 2016-4010

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This report examines the impact of content-intensive Professional Development (PD) on teachers’ math content knowledge, their instructional practice, and their students’ achievement. The study’s PD had three components, totaling 93 hours. The core of the PD was “Intel Math,” an intensive 80-hour workshop delivered in summer 2013 that focused on deepening teachers’ knowledge of grades K-8 mathematics. Two additional PD components totaling 13 hours were delivered during the 2013-14 school year: the “Mathematics Learning Community,” a series of five 2-hour collaborative meetings focused on analyzing student work; and “Video Feedback Cycles,” a series of three one-on-one coaching sessions where teachers’ lessons were observed and critiqued. The purpose of these two components was to reinforce the math content in Intel Math and help teachers apply the content to… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Focusing on Mathematical Knowledge: The Impact of Content-Intensive Teacher Professional Development. Executive Summary. NCEE 2016-4009

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Improving math achievement among U.S. students remains a high priority as results from recent math assessments continue to show room for improvement. For example, 60 percent of fourth-graders scored below the proficient level on the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress. On the most recent Program for International Student Assessment’s math problem-solving test, U.S. 15-year-olds outperformed students in only 6 of the 34 participating countries. In an era of increasingly rigorous state standards, teachers at all grade levels face heightened expectations to deepen their students’ understanding of mathematical concepts. Teachers may thus benefit from professional development (PD) that deepens their own conceptual understanding of math. Elementary school teachers may especially benefit from content-focused PD because they are less likely to formally study math in college than secondary… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – The Effect of Conventional Laboratory Practical Manuals on Preservice Teachers’ Integrated Science Process Skills

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This study explored the effect of conventional laboratory practical manuals on pre-service teachers’ integrated science process skills (ISPS). A validated multiple-choice questionnaire with the ISPS components was used to collect data. No significant difference between pre-service subject-specific teachers’ (biology, physics and chemistry) ISPS scores was found. The ISPS scores significantly increased along with proliferation in lab practical works, except for physics. Pre-service math teachers, who had no lab practical works, showed significantly higher ISPS scores than pre-service science teachers. The results indicated that all pre-service teachers’ ISPS scores fell into intermediate level. Further, it was found that they possessed the lowest scores for such ISPS as identifying and controlling variable, stating operational definition and designing experiments. The common format of the conventional laboratory manual adopted from many… Continue Reading