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Eric.ed.gov – Causes Underlying Pre-Service Teachers’ Negative Beliefs and Anxieties about Mathematics

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This article reports on a study that investigated the causes underlying a sample of eighteen third-year Australian pre-service primary teachers’ negative beliefs and anxiety about mathematics. It was found that most of the participants’ maths-anxiety could be attributed to their primary school experiences in learning mathematics. Situations such as teaching mathematics or being evaluated in mathematics were noted as particularly stressful and mathematical topics such as algebra, space and number sense were specifically identified to cause maths- anxiety. The paper concludes with a brief discussion about the implications of these findings for an ensuing program whose purpose is to help these pre-service teachers address their negative beliefs and anxieties about mathematics. [For complete proceedings, see ED489597.] Link til kilde

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Eric.ed.gov – “Connectivism”–A New Paradigm for the Mathematics Anxiety Challenge?

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: A major challenge for practitioners in adult mathematics education is to achieve effective learning outcomes in the face of prevailing negative attitudes in their students, often present as a consequence of unsatisfactory early mathematics learning experience and flowing from the wellestablished connection between adult innumeracy and mathematics anxiety. Whether in nonspecialist mathematics teaching in diverse disciplines such as economics, nursing, and teacher education, or in adult numeracy teaching, the issues are essentially the same: traditional approaches to mathematics teaching, including constructivism, do not work for math-averse students. The need to find new ways to tackle old problems is further fuelled by the impact of the digital age, with mounting evidence that many aspects of accepted teaching and learning practices are being generally undermined by learners’ exposure to… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Using Drawings to Bridge the Transition from Student to Future Teacher of Mathematics

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This study examines a group of prospective teachers’ reflections upon the way they were taught (Set 1) and the way they want to teach (Set 2) through drawings which respectively describe their past learning experiences as students and their future plans as teachers. The purpose of this study is to identify: (a) the emerging themes that appear in each set of drawing data, (b) the possible factors that influence prospective teachers’ drawings, and (c) the implications for mathematics teacher educators. Overall, prospective teachers showed predominantly negative or mixed feelings about their past experiences as mathematics students. In response to their own past negative experiences and struggles, the prospective teachers tended to highlight emotionally supportive classroom environment and versatile instructional teaching strategies in their future plans. This study… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – In-Service Zimbabwean Teachers’ Views on the Utility Value of Diagrams in the Teaching and Learning of Geometry

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Geometry is an essential component of mathematics which promotes the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Geometry shapes are an integral part of our lives. This study focused on the teachers’ practices, specifically on how teachers ought to be equipped with a good understanding of the effectiveness of the use of diagrams in geometry teaching and learning. A mixed-method approach comprising of questionnaires and interviews was used in this study. Ninety-one teachers participated in this study. The research findings were categorized using the four themes of utility, positive attitudes, negative attitudes, and teachers’ use of diagrams in geometry class. The study showed that diagrams are effective in the teaching and learning of geometry concepts. It is recommended that teachers could do well if they make use… Continue Reading