How Elementary Teaching Candidates’ Learning Opportunities Are Associated with Their Knowledge, Self-Efficacy, and Beliefs

Background/Context Many elementary teacher education programs seek to prepare candidates to enact ambitious mathematics instruction that supports students in engaging in rigorous, conceptually rich mathematics tasks. Extant literature suggests that preparedness to engage in ambitious elementary mathematics instruction is multifaceted and includes teaching candidates’ mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT), self-efficacy with regard to teaching mathematics, and pedagogical beliefs about mathematics. Prior research has produced findings that provide discrete, and at times conflicting, information about teacher preparation. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study This study examined how elementary candidates’ learning opportunities in mathematics content courses, mathematics methods courses, and student teaching were moderated by their reports about the quality of their experiences in courses and field placements to seem to affect their MKT, self-efficacy, and beliefs. Population/Participants/Subjects The study participants were 220 elementary teaching candidates who were in their final year of teacher preparation at four universities in three states. Research Design We employed multivariate path analysis, an approach that is purposefully designed to probe heterogeneity in teaching candidates’ experiences in courses and clinical placements. Data Collection and Analysis We administered two surveys to each study participant: an elementary teaching candidate survey, which included measures of mathematics teaching self-efficacy and pedagogical beliefs about mathematics, and an MKT survey. Findings/Results The number of mathematics content courses that elementary candidates took was positively associated with their MKT and mathematics teaching self-efficacy only when they also reported having positive experiences learning mathematics. When candidates reported increased opportunities to engage with representations, decompositions, and approximations of mathematics teaching practices in mathematics methods courses, this was associated with higher MKT scores and pedagogical beliefs about mathematics. When candidates reported that their cooperating teacher was a high-quality mentor, increased opportunities to observe, attempt, and receive feedback on mathematics teaching practices during their field experience were associated with mathematics teaching self-efficacy and pedagogical beliefs about mathematics. Conclusions/Recommendations The findings from this multivariate path analysis, which account for both the reported quantity and the perceived quality of elementary teaching candidate experiences, may shed light on conflicting findings in prior literature. There is little agreement in extant literature about associations between facets of teacher preparation and candidate knowledge, self-efficacy, or beliefs. Explaining the positive associations in some samples and lack of associations in others may have more to do with the quality of teaching candidate experiences than with whether a candidate was exposed to a particular opportunity to learn.

An Analysis of Elementary Teaching Undergraduate Program in Terms of 21st Century Skills

21st century skills emerge is one of the most crucial competencies that need to be considered in teacher education. With this in mind, the fundamental objectives of this study is to analyze the pre-service teachers’ competencies and perceptions of 21st century skills that are effectively present in today’s world. Explanatory mixed method was applied in this study. The aim of the study is to reveal the adequacy of the undergraduate elementary teaching program in the acquisition of 21st century skills from the perspective of pre-service teachers. In the study, quantitative data was collected through descriptive screening method, and qualitative data was collected through phenomenological analysis. 21st century skills scale was utilized to collect quantitative data, and semi-structured interview form was used to collect qualitative data. The sample of the study consists of 411 pre-service elementary teachers studying at a state university. According to the findings obtained, pre-service teachers perceived themselves quite sufficient in terms of “21st century skills”. Given the qualitative findings, pre-service teachers reported that the learning-teaching processes were ineffective in the context of achieving 21st century competencies. As a matter of fact, 21st century skills are defined as skills that should be acquired within the scope of the elementary teaching undergraduate program. Failure to teach these skills emerges as the most significant limitation of the program. In particular, these skills and evaluations should be incorporated into the curricula content of faculties of education.

An Analysis of Elementary Teaching Undergraduate Program in Terms of 21st Century Skills

21st century skills emerge is one of the most crucial competencies that need to be considered in teacher education. With this in mind, the fundamental objectives of this study is to analyze the pre-service teachers’ competencies and perceptions of 21st century skills that are effectively present in today’s world. Explanatory mixed method was applied in this study. The aim of the study is to reveal the adequacy of the undergraduate elementary teaching program in the acquisition of 21st century skills from the perspective of pre-service teachers. In the study, quantitative data was collected through descriptive screening method, and qualitative data was collected through phenomenological analysis. 21st century skills scale was utilized to collect quantitative data, and semi-structured interview form was used to collect qualitative data. The sample of the study consists of 411 pre-service elementary teachers studying at a state university. According to the findings obtained, pre-service teachers perceived themselves quite sufficient in terms of “21st century skills”. Given the qualitative findings, pre-service teachers reported that the learning-teaching processes were ineffective in the context of achieving 21st century competencies. As a matter of fact, 21st century skills are defined as skills that should be acquired within the scope of the elementary teaching undergraduate program. Failure to teach these skills emerges as the most significant limitation of the program. In particular, these skills and evaluations should be incorporated into the curricula content of faculties of education.

Habilidades Matemáticas na Base Nacional Comum Curricular: Vislumbrando Caminhos Analíticos

ResumoNo artigo em tela, objetivou-se a análise da Base Nacional Comum Curricular (BNCC), na área Matemática, que emergiu no Brasil e foi consolidada após um processo de consultas públicas e debates. Os aportes teóricos adotados para a análise foram Bishop (1999), que propôs competências matemáticas básicas para a formação do cidadão, Doll (1997), que sugeriu alguns critérios para a organização do currículo, e Silva (2009), que o ampliou em outros critérios, dividindo-os em dois grandes blocos, sendo o primeiro relacionado à seleção dos conteúdos, e o segundo relacionado à organização curricular. Os referenciais foram adotados para a análise da coerência da prescrição para os Anos Finais do Ensino Fundamental, relacionando seus indícios e suas conexões com o quadro preliminar do Projeto Matemática 2030, que visa, dentre outras coisas, estabelecer critérios para a análise dos programas destinados às futuras gerações de alunos. Os critérios e suas conexões auxiliam na compreensão de tendências e impactos de reformas nos documentos prescritos para Matemática no Brasil e em outros países. Os resultados suscitaram uma visão multicultural restrita às unidades Álgebra e Probabilidade e Estatística ao relacionarem os objetos de conhecimento à percepção do sentido dos conteúdos para uso social e acesso à cidadania. Palavras-chave: Base Nacional Comum Curricular. Habilidades. Critérios de Análise. Anos Finais do Ensino Fundamental. Matemática. Abstract The objective of this paper is to analyze the National Curricular Common Base (NCCB), Mathematical area, which emerges in Brazil and was consolidated after a process of public consultations and debates. The theoretical contributions adopted for the analysis were Bishop, who proposes basic mathematical skills for the formation of the citizen, Doll, that suggests criteria for the organization of the curriculum, and Silva, that expands in others, dividing them into two large blocks, being the first related to the selection of contents and the other to the curricular organization. The references were adopted for the analysis of the consistency of the prescription for the Final Years of Elementary Teaching, relating their indications and their connections with the preliminary framework of the Mathematics 2030 Project, which aims, among other things, to establish criteria for the analysis of the programs destined to future generations of students. The criteria and their connections help in understanding the trends and impacts of reforms in the documents prescribed for Mathematics in Brazil and in other countries. The results gave rise to a multicultural view restricted to the units Algebra and Probability and Statistics, relating the objects of knowledge to the perception of the meaning of the contents for social use and access to citizenship. Keywords: National Curricular Common Core. Skills. Criteria of Analysis. Final Years of Elementary School. Mathematics.

The Effectiveness of Coaches’ Manuals for Teaching Professionalism in Problem Based Learning

The coaching is essential for elementary teaching and is even more compelling when applied to a field as complex as medicine. In any structured training program, there is a need for some instruc-tional material and references. These materials can be converted in the form of manuals as tools to be used for the facilitation of the process of teaching and learning. Therefore, this survey was de-signed to assess the perception of the coaches as regards the effectiveness of the coaches’ manual. A one-day workshop was conducted which involved brainstorming and different modalities of coaching in relationship with teaching professionalism and the effectiveness of the coaches’ manual were discussed. Results showed that the coaches who had no previous experience or training in coaching had benefited from the coaches’ manual. Sub-specialty of the faculty was found to have a significant (<0.05) effect on the use of manuals.

O uso do computador na educação financeira: um relato da experiência na educação de jovens e adultos

Resumo: Este trabalho é resultado de um projeto universitário desenvolvido por meio de oficinas de educação financeira junto aos alunos do oitavo e nono ano do Ensino Fundamental da modalidade Educação de Jovens e Adultos de uma escola pública no município de Araraquara. Os objetivos do projeto foram proporcionar aos alunos discussões de temáticas que contribuíssem para aprimorar suas habilidades e competências em situações financeiras e, ainda, incluir neste contexto de ensino-aprendizagem um outro recurso, o computador. As oficinas foram desenvolvidas usando duas abordagens; uma sistêmica, com apresentação dos conteúdos; e outra, prática, com o uso do computador, especificamente de planilhas do Excel. Os resultados apontam que o computador, principalmente o software trabalhado, possibilitou aos estudantes construir e explorar os conceitos financeiros abordados nas oficinas mostrando-se, assim, uma metodologia integradora no processo de ensino-aprendizagem para a educação financeira como parte da educação matemática. Palavras-chave: Educação de Jovens e Adultos; Ensino Fundamental; Educação Financeira; Educação Matemática; Excel. Computer use in financial education: an account of experience in education of youth and adults Abstract: This work is the result of a university project developed through financial education workshops with the eighth and ninth grade students of the Youth and Adult Education modality of a public school in the city of Araraquara. The objectives of the project were to provide students with discussions on topics that contributed to improve their skills and competences in financial situations and also to include in this teaching-learning context another resource, the computer. The workshops were developed using two approaches; a systemic one, with presentation of the contents; and another, practice, using the computer, specifically Excel spreadsheets. The results show that the computer, especially the software, enabled the students to construct and explore the financial concepts addressed in the workshops, thus showing an integrative methodology in the teaching-learning process for financial education as part of mathematics education. Keywords: Youth and Adult Education; Elementary Teaching; Financial Education; Mathematics Education; Excel.

Entre a casa e a escola: educadoras de 1º grau na periferia de São Paulo

Discute a feminização do magistério público, especialmente nas primeiras séries do 1º grau, como um processo de conseqüências contraditórias sobre a organização do trabalho docente e a identidade profissional das professoras. Esta baseado em uma pesquisa etnográfica realizada pela autora numa escola pública de São Paulo e propõe a revisão de abordagens negativistas da presença feminina no magistério, consagradas na literatura educacional brasileira. Abstract This article discusses the feminization of teaching as a process with contradictory results over teacher's work and their professional identity. It's based on an ethnographic study conducted by the author in an elementary school in São Paulo. Morover, it suggests modifications on some negative approaches to the female majority in elementary teaching that are spread in the brazilian educational studies. Résumé La discussion sur le travail d'enseignement au Brésil a jusqu'à présent négligé le fait que Ia majorite des maitres de l'enseignement élémentaire sont des femmes, et, quand ce fait futpris en considération, ce sontpresque toujours ses aspects négatifs qui sont ressortis. Cet article veut mettre en évidence quelques conséquences de cette présence féminine à partir de matériel obtenu lors d'une recherche ethnographique réalisée dans une école élémentaire de São Paulo. Resumen En este artículo se analisa Ia feminización del trabajo docente en los niveles básicos como un proceso que tiene consecuencias contradictorias en la prática docente y en la identidad profesional de las maestras. Está basado en estudio etnográfico de una escuela primaria pública de São Paulo. Y propone la revisión de ciertas interpretaciones negativas de la feminización de Ia docencia primaria que están difundidas en la literatura pedagógica brasileña.