Theoretical frameworks in research on and with mathematics teachers

• Published in: ZDM 2013-06, Vol.45 (4), p.501-505
• Main Authors: Skott, Jeppe, Van Zoest, Laura, Gellert, Uwe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Beliefs; Classrooms; Conference Papers; Constructivism (Learning); Discourse Analysis; Editorial; Education; Educational Change; Intention; Knowledge; Knowledge Base for Teaching; Learning; Matematikdidaktik; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical Education; Mathematics; Mathematics Education; Mathematics Teachers; Pedagogical Content Knowledge; R&D; Research & development; Research and Development; teacher development; Teacher identity; Teacher Improvement; Teacher Role; Teachers; teachers' beliefs; teachers' knowledge; Teaching; Teaching Methods; theoretical frameworks; Theory Practice Relationship
• ISSN: 1863-9690; 1863-9704; 1863-9704
• DOI: 10.1007/s11858-013-0509-3

Notwithstanding the differences within each of the three fields, research practices among them appear to particularly differ in their ways of dealing with (1) the relationships between individual and social understandings of teacher development and the role of the teacher for classroom practice, and (2) the relationship between theory and practice, especially the expectations with regard to impact on instruction and student learning. What was missing, Bauersfeld claimed, was a concern for what he saw as the link between the two, the matter taught, that is, “the influence of the teacher [and] the general context of instruction” (p. 200). Since Bauersfeld wrote his piece, teachers and teaching have become pivotal concerns of mathematics education research. Focusing on two of the seven categories of knowledge in Shulman’s scheme (1986, 1987), the ones of content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge, led to a reformulation of the contents per se; for instance, in the form of what was later to be known as mathematical knowledge for teaching (Ball et al. 2008), profound understanding of fundamental mathematics (Ma 1999), and the knowledge quartet (Rowland et al. 2009). [...]the task for teacher-related research and development work is to solve the problem by changing teachers’ beliefs and providing them with opportunities to develop forms of knowledge that are deemed relevant for the profession.