The USAID and the teaching of mathematics in Rio Grande do Norte

In the 1960s occurred great changes in the general education and, specially in the mathematical teaching, throughout Brazil. Besides the Law Diretrizes e Bases for Education (law 4024/1961), such changes also was occurred by opposite educational movements. In one side, those ones that valorized the popular education and culture and, for the other side, the international agreements between universities and government organs, like SUDENE and MEC, with United States Agency for International Development (USAID). These agreements purposed the cultural alignment. In this article we will expose some of these agreements and their interference in two courses for teachers' education. These teachers taught mathematics for the elementary school, in Rio Grande do Norte.

Formação continuada de professores de matemática com enfoque colaborativo: contribuições para o uso reflexivo dos recursos da Web 2.0 na prática pedagógica

Pós-graduação em Educação - FCT

Design, implementação e estudo de uma rede sócio profissional de professores de matemática

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Increasing Teacher Involvement with Other Teachers Through Reflective Interaction

In this action research study of a district’s mathematics teachers, the researcher investigated how teachers interact with other teachers in their building and throughout the district. The researcher wanted to know how deeply teachers thought about teaching mathematics, and if they use other teachers in the district as a resource to help with unknown math problems. The researcher discovered that some teachers are willing to interact with others, but would like to have time supplied to them during the school year’s staff development meetings. The teachers involved were able to observe each other teaching and take valuable strategies back to their own classrooms. As a result of this research, the researcher would like to see this study continued next year during staff development time. The support of the district and staff development are key to the success of this study.

Motivating Middle School Mathematics Students

In this action research study I examined the relationship between the teacher, the students and the types of motivation used in mathematics. I specifically studied the mathematic teachers at my school and my seventh grade mathematics students. Motivating middle school students is difficult and the types of motivation can be as numerous as the number of students studied. I discovered that the teachers used multiple motivating tactics from praise, to extra time spent with a student, to extra fun activities for the class. I also discovered that in many instances, the students’ perception of mathematics was predetermined or predetermined by parental perceptions of mathematics. The social environment of the student and a sense of belonging also plays a role in how motivated a student stays. As a result of this research, I plan to notify the mathematics teachers at my school of the most effective types of motivation so we can become a more effective mathematics department.

Empowering Teachers as Leaders: A Hard Sell

Despite emphasis on preparing teachers as leaders, teacher educators realize that the transition of classroom practitioners into school leaders is fraught with many obstacles. This session addresses some of these obstacles, describes strategies and opportunities that we have used in our graduate master’s degree programs for teachers that support professionals as they make this change. The session will present evidence on the results of our efforts in terms of teachers’ performances within their programs and in the field after they graduate.

National issues in education professions development, fall 1976.

Mode of access: Internet.

Understanding technology integration in secondary mathematics: Theorising the role of the teacher

Previous research on computers and graphics calculators in mathematics education has examined effects on curriculum content and students’ mathematical achievement and attitudes while less attention has been given to the relationship between technology use and issues of pedagogy, in particular the impact on teachers’ professional learning in specific classroom and school environments. This observation is critical in the current context of educational policy making, where it is assumed – often incorrectly – that supplying schools with hardware and software will increase teachers’ use of technology and encourage more innovative teaching approaches. This paper reports on a research program that aimed to develop better understanding of how and under what conditions Australian secondary school mathematics teachers learn to effectively integrate technology into their practice. The research adapted Valsiner’s concepts of the Zone of Proximal Development, Zone of Free Movement and Zone of Promoted Action to devise a theoretical framework for analysing relationships between factors influencing teachers’ use of technology in mathematics classrooms. This paper illustrates how the framework may be used by analysing case studies of a novice teacher and an experienced teacher in different school settings.

Towards New Teaching in Mathematics How to Realize Inquiry Based and Problem Oriented Mathematics Lessons?

Дагмар Рааб Математиката е вълнуваща и забавна. Можем ли да убедим учениците, че това може да стане действителност. Задачите са най-важните инструменти за учителите по математика, когато планират уроците си. Планът трябва да съдържа идеи как да се очертае и как да се жалонира пътят, по който учениците ще стигнат до решението на дадена задача. Учителите не трябва да очакват от учениците си просто да кажат кой е отговорът на задачата, а да ги увлекат в процеса на решаване с подходящи въпроси. Ролята на учителя е да помогне на учениците • да бъдат активни и резултатни при решаването на задачи; • самите те да поставят задачи; • да модифицират задачи; • да откриват закономерности; • да изготвят стратегии за решаване на задачи; • да откриват и изследват различни начини за решаване на задачи; • да намират смислена връзка между математическите си знания и проблеми от ежедневието. В доклада са представени избрани и вече експериментирани примери за това как учители и ученици могат да намерят подходящ път към нов тип преживявания в преподаването и изучаването на училищната математика.

The relationship between the teacher's experience, the teacher's college major, and the teacher's level of education in predicting classroom attitudes in high school science students

A review of the literature reveals few research has attempted to demonstrate if a relationship exists between the type of teacher training a science teacher has received and the perceived attitudes of his/her students. Some of the teacher preparation factors examined in this study include the college major chosen by the science teacher, the highest degree earned, the number of years of teaching experience, the type of science course taught, and the grade level taught by the teacher. This study examined how the various factors mentioned, could influence the behaviors which are characteristic of the teacher, and how these behaviors could be reflective in the classroom environment experienced by the students.^ The instrument used in the study was the Classroom Environment Scale (CES), Real Form. The measured classroom environment was broken down into three separate dimensions, with three components within each dimension in the CES. Multiple Regression statistical analyses examined how components of the teachers' education influenced the perceived dimensions of the classroom environment from the students.^ The study occurred in Miami-Dade County Florida, with a predominantly urban high school student population. There were 40 secondary science teachers involved, each with an average of 30 students. The total number of students sampled in the study was 1200. The teachers who participated in the study taught the entire range of secondary science courses offered at this large school district. All teachers were selected by the researcher so that a balance would occur in the sample between teachers who were education major versus science major. Additionally, the researcher selected teachers so that a balance occurred in regards to the different levels of college degrees earned among those involved in the study.^ Several research questions sought to determine if there was significant difference between the type of the educational background obtained by secondary science teachers and the students' perception of the classroom environment. Other research questions sought to determine if there were significant differences in the students' perceptions of the classroom environment for secondary science teachers who taught biological content, or non-biological content sciences. An additional research question sought to evaluate if the grade level taught would affect the students' perception of the classroom environment. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) ^

An Investigation of Participants’ Perspectives About a Learning Assistant Program and Their Thinking about Becoming a Mathematics Teacher

A Learning Assistant program that recruits strong STEM undergraduates to become mathematics teachers was explored through a qualitative study. Three program participants were purposely selected and interviewed. The program reaffirmed one participant’s choice to become a teacher and clarified for one that it might be a career for him.

The impact of standards -based practices in mathematics on the achievement of low -performing students

This study examined standards-based mathematics reform initiatives to determine if they would improve student achievement on the part of low-performing students. New curricula, the Carnegie Learning Cognitive Tutor®, were provided for algebra and geometry students. The new instructional strategy relied on both the teacher-led instruction and the use of computers to differentiate instruction for individual students. Mathematics teachers received ongoing professional development to help them implement the new curricula. In addition, teachers were provided with ongoing support to assist them with the transformation of the learning environments for students using standards-based practices. This quasi-experimental (nonrandomized) study involved teachers in two matched urban high schools. Analyses (ANCOVAs) revealed that the experimental group with an appropriately implemented program had significantly higher learning gains than the comparison group as determined by the students' 2007 mathematics Developmental Scale Score (DSS). In addition, the experimental group's adjusted mean for the second interim mathematics assessment was significantly higher than the comparison group's mean. The findings support the idea that if the traditional curriculum is replaced with standards-based curriculum, and the curriculum is implemented as intended, low-performing students may make significant learning gains. With respect to the teaching practices as observed with the Classroom Observation Protocol (COP), t-tests were conducted on four constructs. The results for both the algebra and geometry teachers on the constructs were not significant. The COP indicated that teachers in both the experimental and comparison groups used traditional instruction strategies in their classrooms. The analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) on the use of technology revealed no significant main effects for computer use.

The relationship between the teacher's experience, the teacher's college major, and the teacher's level of education in predicting classroom attitudes in high school science students

A review of the literature reveals few research has attempted to demonstrate if a relationship exists between the type of teacher training a science teacher has received and the perceived attitudes of his/her students. Considering that a great deal of time and energy has been devoted by university colleges, school districts, and educators towards refining the teacher education process, it would be more efficient for all parties involved, if research were available that could discern if certain pathways in achieving that education, would promote the tendency towards certain teacher behaviors occurring in the classroom, while other pathways would lead towards different behaviors. Some of the teacher preparation factors examined in this study include the college major chosen by the science teacher, the highest degree earned, the number of years of teaching experience, the type of science course taught, and the grade level taught by the teacher. This study examined how the various factors mentioned, could influence the behaviors which are characteristic of the teacher, and how these behaviors could be reflective in the classroom environment experienced by the students. The instrument used in the study was the Classroom Environment Scale (CES), Real Form. The measured classroom environment was broken down into three separate dimensions, with three components within each dimension in the CES. Multiple Regression statistical analyses examined how components of the teachers' education influenced the perceived dimensions of the classroom environment from the students. The study occurred in Miami-Dade County Florida, with a predominantly urban high school student population. There were 40 secondary science teachers involved, each with an average of 30 students. The total number of students sampled in the study was 1200. The teachers who participated in the study taught the entire range of secondary science courses offered at this large school district. All teachers were selected by the researcher so that a balance would occur in the sample between teachers who were education major versus science major. Additionally, the researcher selected teachers so that a balance occurred in regards to the different levels of college degrees earned among those involved in the study. Several research questions sought to determine if there was significant difference between the type of the educational background obtained by secondary science teachers and the students' perception of the classroom environment. Other research questions sought to determine if there were significant differences in the students' perceptions of the classroom environment for secondary science teachers who taught biological content, or non-biological content sciences. An additional research question sought to evaluate if the grade level taught would affect the students' perception of the classroom environment. Analysis of the multiple regression were run for each of four scores from the CES, Real Form. For score 1, involvement of students, the results showed that teachers with the highest number of years of experience, with masters or masters plus degrees, who were education majors, and who taught twelfth grade students, had greater amounts of students being attentive and interested in class activities, participating in discussions, and doing additional work on their own, as compared with teachers who had lower experience, a bachelors degree, were science majors, and who taught a grade lower than twelfth. For score 2, task orientation, which emphasized completing the required activities and staying on-task, the results showed that teachers with the highest and intermediate experience, a science major, and with the highest college degree, showed higher scores as compared with the teachers indicating lower experiences, education major and a bachelors degree. For Score 3, competition, which indicated how difficult it was to achieve high grades in the class, the results showed that teachers who taught non-biology content subjects had the greatest effect on the regression. Teachers with a masters degree, low levels of experience, and who taught twelfth grade students were also factored into the regression equation. For Score 4, innovation, which indicated the extent in which the teachers used new and innovative techniques to encourage diverse and creative thinking included teachers with an education major as the first entry into the regression equation. Teachers with the least experience (0 to 3 years), and teachers who taught twelfth and eleventh grade students were also included into the regression equation.