Student mathematical activity as a springboard to developing teacher didactisation practices
Date
2015-12-07
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AOSIS Publishing
Abstract
This article is part of a larger study on teacher development. The main study investigated teacher
development within primary school Mathematics teachers’ classrooms to determine if teaching
practices could be enhanced through a didactisation-based programme. It sought to develop
teachers within their own environments and classrooms. Design research (both designing the
conditions for change and studying the results of those conditions) enabled the researchers
to design a programme that was congruent with teachers’ own needs and experiences. The
programme ran for a period of a year with regular contact between the teachers and the researcher
conducting the programme (the first author). The programme set out nine didactisation practices:
active students, differentiation, mathematisation, vertically aligned lessons, accessing student
thinking and ideas, probing student thinking and ideas, connecting student ideas, assessing
students and reflecting on practice. One practice, student activity, is the focus of this article. It
was found that by initiating discussion and cognitive conflict in teachers by using modelling
problems, and further allowing teachers to observe pupils working in groups with modelling
problems, teachers were starting to incorporate the didactisation practices within their own
classrooms. This article documents specifically the fundamental role of student mathematical
activity and the importance of improving student mathematical experiences, both for teacher
development and for student mathematical learning. The study may be valuable in structuring
and planning further effective teacher development programmes.
Description
CITATION: Biccard, P. & Wessels, D. 2015. Student mathematical activity as a springboard to developing teacher didactisation practices. Pythagoras, 36(2), Art.
#294, doi:10.4102/pythagoras.v36i2.294.
The original publication is available at http://www.pythagoras.org.za
The original publication is available at http://www.pythagoras.org.za
Keywords
Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Elementary), Problem solving, Mathematics teachers -- Training of, Curriculum enrichment
Citation
Biccard, P. & Wessels, D. 2015. Student mathematical activity as a springboard to developing teacher didactisation practices. Pythagoras, 36(2), Art.
#294, doi:10.4102/pythagoras.v36i2.294.