Os professores de matemática e as ações educacionais públicas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Cognitive processes associated with the professional development of Mathematics teacher. 'Procesos cognitivos asociados al desarrollo profesional del profesor de Matem??ticas'

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Conceptions of mathematics teacher education : thoughts among teacher educators in Tanzania

This study addresses the question of teacher educators’ conceptions of mathematics teacher education (MTE) in teacher colleges in Tanzania, and their thoughts on how to further develop it. The tension between exponents of content as opposed to pedagogy has continued to cause challenging conceptual differences, which also influences what teacher educators conceive as desirable in the development of this domain. This tension is connected to the dissatisfaction of parents and teachers with the failure of school mathematics. From this point of view, the overall aim was to identify and describe teacher educators’ various conceptions of MTE. Inspired by the debate among teacher educators about what the balance should be between subject matter and pedagogical knowledge, it was important to look at the theoretical faces of MTE. The theoretical background involved the review of what is visible in MTE, what is yet to be known and the challenges within the practice. This task revealed meanings, perspectives in MTE, professional development and assessment. To do this, two questions were asked, to which no clear solutions satisfactorily existed. The questions to guide the investigation were, firstly, what are teacher educators’ conceptions of MTE, and secondly, what are teacher educators’ thoughts on the development of MTE? The two questions led to the choice of phenomenography as the methodological approach. Against the guiding questions, 27 mathematics teacher educators were interviewed in relation to the first question, while 32 responded to an open-ended questionnaire regarding question two. The interview statements as well as the questionnaire responses were coded and analysed (classified). The process of classification generated patterns of qualitatively different ways of seeing MTE. The results indicate that MTE is conceived as a process of learning through investigation, fostering inspiration, an approach to learning with an emphasis on problem solving, and a focus on pedagogical knowledge and skills in the process of teaching and learning. In addition, the teaching and learning of mathematics is seen as subject didactics with a focus on subject matter and as an organized integration of subject matter, pedagogical knowledge and some school practice; and also as academic content knowledge in which assessment is inherent. The respondents also saw the need to build learner-educator relationships. Finally, they emphasized taking advantage of teacher educators’ neighbourhood learning groups, networking and collaboration as sustainable knowledge and skills sharing strategies in professional development. Regarding desirable development, teacher educators’ thoughts emphasised enhancing pedagogical knowledge and subject matter, and to be determined by them as opposed to conventional top-down seminars and workshops. This study has revealed various conceptions and thoughts about MTE based on teacher educators´ diverse history of professional development in mathematics. It has been reasonably substantiated that some teacher educators teach school mathematics in the name of MTE, hardly distinguishing between the role and purpose of the two in developing a mathematics teacher. What teacher educators conceive as MTE and what they do regarding the education of teachers of mathematics revealed variations in terms of seeing the phenomenon of interest. Within limits, desirable thoughts shed light on solutions to phobias, and in the same way low self-esteem and stigmatization call for the building of teacher educator-student teacher relationships.

School health promotion and teacher professional identity

PURPOSE – Health and education are inextricably linked. Health promotion sits somewhat uncomfortably within schools, often remaining a marginal aspect of teachers’ work. The purpose of this paper is to examine the compatibility of an HP-initiative with teacher professional identity. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH – A qualitative research design was adopted consisting of semi-structured interviews. In total, 49 teachers in two school districts in the Auvergne region in central France were interviewed in depth post having completed three years’ involvement in a health promoting schools initiative called “Learning to Live Better Together” (“Apprendre a Mieux Vivre Ensemble”). FINDINGS – Teachers in the study had a broad conceptualisation of their role in health promotion. In keeping with international trends, there was more success at classroom than at whole school level. While generally teachers can be reluctant to engage with health promotion, the teachers in this study identified having little difficulty in understanding their professional identity as health promoters and identified strong compatibility with the HP-initiative. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS – Teachers generally viewed professional development in health promotion in a positive light when its underlying values were commensurate with their own and when the context was seen as compatible with the school mission. The promotion of health in schools needs to be sensitive to professional identity and be tailored specifically to blend more successfully with current teacher identity and practice. ORIGINALITY/VALUE – The promotion of health in schools needs to be sensitive to professional identity and be tailored specifically to blend more successfully with current teacher identity and practice.

Teacher professional growth in an authentic learning environment

The last several decades have been marked by tremendous changes in education - technological, pedagogical, administrative, and social. These changes have led to considerable increments in the budgets devoted to professional development for teachers ~ with the express purpose of helping them accommodate their practices to the new realities oftheir classrooms. However, research has suggested that, in spite of the emphasis placed on encouraging sustained change in teaching practices, little has been accomplished. This begs the question of what ought to be done to not only reverse this outcome, but contribute to transformational change. The literature suggests some possibilities including: a) considering teachers as learners and applying what, is known about cognition and learning; b) modifying the location and nature ofprofessional development so that it is authentic, based in the classroom and focusing on tasks meaningful to the teacher; c) attending to the infrastructure underlying professional development; and d) ensuring opportunities for reflective practice. This dissertation looks at the impact of each ofthese variables through an analysis ofthe learning journeys of a group ofteachers engaged in a program called GrassRoots in one midsized school board in Ontario. Action research was conducted by the researcher in his role as consultant facilitating teacher professional growth around the use of Web sites as culminating performance tasks by students. Research focused on the pedagogical approach to the learning of the teachers involved and the infrastructure underlying their learning. Using grounded theory, a model for professional development was developed that can be used in the future to inform practices and, hopefully, lead to sustained transformational school change.

The mathematics teacher's handbook.

Es un manual que proporciona consejos a los profesores para la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de las matemáticas en clase. Entre estas orientaciones figuran: el desarrollo de una cultura eficaz en el aula que favorezca tanto la enseñanza como el aprendizaje y la búsqueda del equilibrio entre ellas, así como, la utilización de la evaluación como parte integrante de ambas tareas y el avance en el conocimiento de conceptos matemáticos.

International Mathematics : teacher's guide 1. 'Matemáticas internacionales : guia del profesor 1'.

Forma parte, junto con el libro de texto y el cuaderno de ejercicios, de un programa para enseñar las matemáticas en secundaria, es decir, a alumnos de once a catorce ó quince años de edad, que además, no hablan inglés en casa, pero están estudiando en esa lengua en la escuela. Este programa, con un nivel medio de inglés, sirve a los estudiantes para la preparación del curso de bachillerato internacional (IGCSE) y cursos equivalentes. Este recurso para el profesor contiene las respuestas a los ejercicios propuestos en el libro del alumno y en el cuaderno de ejercicios, también, le proporciona orientaciones para dar clases y apoyo metodológico.

International Mathematics : teacher's guide 2. 'Matemáticas internacionales : guia del profesor 2'.

Forma parte, junto con el libro de texto y el cuaderno de ejercicios, de un programa para enseñar las matemáticas en secundaria, es decir, a alumnos de once a catorce ó quince años de edad, que además, no hablan inglés en casa, pero están estudiando en esa lengua en la escuela. Este programa, con un nivel medio de inglés, sirve a los estudiantes para la preparación del curso de bachillerato internacional (IGCSE) y cursos equivalentes. Este recurso para el profesor contiene las respuestas a los ejercicios propuestos en el libro del alumno y en el cuaderno de ejercicios, también, le proporciona orientaciones para dar clases y apoyo metodológico.

Functional mathematics. Teacher material.

Recurso para el profesor con los mismos materiales que el libro del alumno, además de enlaces en línea a materiales del profesorado, para que pueda enseñar a los estudiantes a aplicar sus habilidades matemáticas en la práctica. Cada unidad contiene varias preguntas que aumentan en complejidad, y con flexibilidad para que el profesor pueda realizar las actividades.

The Mathematics teacher and curriculum change. 'El profesor de Matemáticas y el cambio de currículo'.

Resumen basado en el de la publicación

A review of research trends in mathematics teacher education. 'Una revisión de las tendencias de investigación en la formación de profesores de matemáticas'.

Resumen basado en el de la publicación

The creation of a Terena Mermaid on an Environmental lesson: a case of Teacher Professional Development

Monogr??fico con el t??tulo: " Formaci??n de profesores. Perspectivas de Brasil, Colombia, Espa??a y Portugal"