scholarly journals Toward a constructivist perspective: The impact of a mathematics teacher inservice program on students

1993 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 331-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin A. Simon ◽  
Deborah Schifter
Keyword(s):  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Teacher Inservice ◽  
Constructivist Perspective ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Inservice Program

Working Men Views of Poverty

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 480-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roni Strier ◽  
Zvi Eisikovits ◽  
Laura Sigad ◽  
Eli Buchbinder
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Working Poor ◽  
Meaning Of Work ◽  
The Social ◽  
Constructivist Perspective ◽  
And Gender ◽  
And Coping ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Poor Population

Despite the alarming numbers of workers living in poverty in developed countries, work is still commonly seen as a way out of poverty. From a social constructivist perspective and based on qualitative research of the working poor in Israel, the article explores low-income Arab and Jewish working men’s views of poverty. It addresses research topics such as the meaning of work, the perception of the workplace, and the experience of poverty and coping strategies. In addition, the article examines the presence of ethnic differences in the social construction of in-work poverty. At the theoretical level, the article questions dominant views of work as the main exit from poverty, highlights the impact of gender and ethnicity in the construction of in-work poverty, and suggests the need for more context and gender-informed policies to respond to the complexity of the male working poor population.

Exploring the impact of lesson study through the views of Lao mathematics teacher educators on the needs, learning and difficulties

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 98-116
Author(s):  
Sommay Shingphachanh
Keyword(s):  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Mathematical Thinking ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Current Situation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mathematical Ideas ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Educators ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively explore the current situation of lesson study (LS) implementation and practice among Mathematics Teacher Educators (MTEs) in Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) across the country in Laos. Moreover, the study investigates MTEs’ professional learning through LS experience, the difficulties they encountered during practicing LS and their urgent needs to deepen their comprehension in the context of LS. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through semi-structured interview with 45 MTEs from 7 TTCs in February/March 2018 (seven weeks). The study also collected 14 LS reports, 7 LS posters from the respondents and observed one cycle of LS practice in 2 TTCs. The data were systematically analyzed using inductive category formation through the procedure of transcribing and reading the transcription, thematic coding and categorizing and interpreting the meaning of thematic ideas (Mayring, 2015; Merriam, 2009). Licensed software MAXQDA 10 was used for this qualitative study. Findings The study argued based on LS practice in LS model 1 and model 2. MTEs that followed LS model 1 practiced LS in a superficial aspect and quantitatively relied upon the results from the checklists. They majorly satisfied the immediate measurement of teacher teaching’s behavior and student learning’s behavior. Frequently, time constraints, writing LS reports and collaboration were the great challenges. In contrast, MTEs that followed LS model 2 practiced LS in order to deepen understanding of students’ mathematical thinking. Although LS helped them by adjusting appropriate learning task, they encountered difficulty to innovate it effectively. LS also helped them in offering students’ autonomy to explore mathematical ideas, but they failed to understand the values of utilizing students’ mathematical ideas. Research limitations/implications The findings from this study are beneficial for LS practice in the country and similar LS initiatives to find a measure to enhance the effectiveness of LS in schools and TTCs. The study suggested providing clear details of each step, the essential aspect and the core concept of LS to MTEs for successful transposition of LS to a non-Japanese context. Providing LS advisors who have had great experience in conducting LS not just high teaching or working experience only is highly recommended. This study has a limitation in observing LS practices from all seven TTCs. Originality/value Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) recognizes the significance of implementing LS in TTCs to enhance the quality of teaching-learning, though the progress of LS in those TTCs has not yet been addressed. Current situation of LS revealed in this study is valuable for similar initiatives, MoES and Japan International Cooperation Agency to make an effort in order to move LS forward.

What's Going On

1982 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 39
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
San Antonio ◽  
Service Center ◽  
Education Service Center ◽  
Title Iv ◽  
Education Service ◽  
Teacher Inservice ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Teachers Attitudes ◽  
Inservice Program

Teachers' attitudes toward and competencies in mathematics. The Education Service Center in San Antonio, Texas has developed a teacher inservice program to reduce teacher anxiety in teaching mathematics in grades K-8. The purpose of the program is to change teacher attitudes toward the teaching of the subject by showing that mathematics deals with practical, problem-solving situations. Materials that emphasize the process of problem solving are used. The funding for training staff to conduct the inservice activities and to develop materials was provided by a Title IV-C grant. For more information contact Dwain Estes, Executive Director, Education Service Center, Region 20, 1314 Hines Avenue, San Antonio, TX 78208.

Encouraging Teachers to Make Use of Multiplicative Structure

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-85
Author(s):  
Ziv Feldman ◽  
Matt B. Roscoe
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Elementary School Teachers ◽  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Procedural Knowledge ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Education ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Multiplicative Structure ◽  
Prime Factorization ◽  
Divisibility Properties ◽  
The Impact

The literature has shown that preservice elementary school teachers (PSTs) struggle to adequately attend to a number's multiplicative structure to determine divisibility. This study describes an intervention aimed at strengthening preservice and in-service teachers' procedural knowledge with respect to using a number's prime factorization to identify its factors, and presents evidence of the impact of the intervention. Results point toward improved abilities to use a number's prime factorization to sort factors and nonfactors across four factor subtypes, to create factor lists, and to construct numbers with particular divisibility properties. Implications for mathematics teacher education include providing speci_ c materials and strategies for strengthening preservice and in-service teachers' procedural knowledge.

Investigating Alignment Between Elementary Mathematics Teacher Education and Graduates' Teaching of Mathematics for Conceptual Understanding

2017 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Jansen ◽  
Dawn Berk ◽  
Erin Meikle
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Instructional Practices ◽  
Education Program ◽  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Education ◽  
Teaching Mathematics ◽  
Mathematical Explanations ◽  
The Impact

In this article, Amanda Jansen, Dawn Berk, and Erin Meikle investigate the impact of mathematics teacher education on teaching practices. In their study they interviewed six first-year teachers who graduated from the same elementary teacher education program and who were oriented toward teaching mathematics conceptually. They observed each teacher teaching two lessons: one on a mathematics topic that was developed in their teacher education program (target topic) and one on a mathematics topic that was not addressed in their program (control topic). Based on their observations, the authors identified four instructional practices for teaching mathematics conceptually that the participants used in their classroom practice and found that these teachers were more likely to enact two of these instructional practices when teaching target topics: use of mathematical language to support students' sense making and use of visual representations. They also found that the teachers enacted two other instructional practices—use of story problems and pressing students for mathematical explanations—in both target and control topic lessons but did so with limitations in control topic lessons. For teacher education to influence teaching, the authors assert, it is important to develop content knowledge for teaching and pedagogical knowledge in tandem with developing beliefs.

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