Teachers' responses to an investigative mathematics syllabus : their goals and practices

Despite attempts to encourage teachers to adopt investigative teaching behaviours, there is strong evidence of the resilience of teacher-centred school mathematics teaching. This study uses interpretative research methods to explore teachers' practices and relate these to their goals. Analysis...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Mathematics education research journal 2002-11, Vol.14 (1), p.37-59
Main Authors: Norton, Stephen, McRobbie, Campbell J, Cooper, Tom J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitudes
Australia
Course Descriptions
Elementary Secondary Education
Foreign Countries
Influences
Investigations
Mathematics curriculum
Mathematics Instruction
Mathematics Teachers
Mathematics teaching
Objectives
Qualitative research
Secondary education
Secondary school mathematics
Teacher attitudes
Teacher beliefs
Teacher response
Teachers
Teaching methods
Teaching Models
Teaching Styles
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Summary:Despite attempts to encourage teachers to adopt investigative teaching behaviours, there is strong evidence of the resilience of teacher-centred school mathematics teaching. This study uses interpretative research methods to explore teachers' practices and relate these to their goals. Analysis of case studies indicates that syllabus documents have influenced teachers' choices of teaching strategies. Most teachers had calculation-based goals for less able students and conceptual goals for more able students. Three distinct teaching strategies were identified and described. The relationships between teachers' goals, beliefs, and practices can guide the construction of teacher programmes that focus on student construction of knowledge. [Author abstract]
ISSN:1033-2170
2211-050X
DOI:10.1007/BF03217115