Cultural transposition of a thinking classroom: to conceive possible unthoughts in mathematical problem solving activity

Abstract

This study concerns a professional development course designed and implemented for prospective teachers, centred on a teaching method regarding problem-solving activity, namely, the Thinking Classroom. The study is framed in the theory of cultural transposition, a perspective about the encounter with teaching practices from different cultural/school contexts. Cultural aspects are considered crucial and this encounter between cultures is seen as an opportunity for actors to become aware of their own unthoughts, i.e., some of the ‘invisible’ cultural beliefs about teaching and learning absorbed by their own culture. According to this framework, we present the results from a questionnaire given to all the participants, and two case studies of prospective teachers involved in the professional development, in order to discuss the kind of unthoughts on which they have focused in thinking about this training experience.

Culturally crafted Lesson Study to improve teachers' professional development in mathematics: a case study in Italian secondary school

“…Cultural Transposition is not only a theoretical but also an action perspective for teachers and teacher educators. It aims to frame the use of mathematical teaching practices from foreign cultural contexts as an opportunity to question one's own teaching practices and educational intentionality (Mellone et al, 2021), in an "emancipatory" context for teacher learning (Mellone et al, 2020, p. 382). Within this framework, the study is situated in the context of teacher and teacher-educator learning literature (Jaworski & Huang, 2014), where teacher professional development increases teachers' knowledge and awareness (Andriano & Manolino, 2023) while reflecting in (and not only on) their teaching practices in a joint activity, with the aim of improving opportunities for learners of mathematics in the classroom.…”

Explorando nuevas estrategias de formación del profesorado de matemáticas: un enfoque ampliado del Lesson Study para el desarrollo profesional en la Escuela Andorrana

“…Los programas de desarrollo profesional deben adaptarse a las características de cada contexto. Mellone et al (2021) definen el marco de transposición cultural, referido a la implementación de prácticas didácticas procedentes de culturas extranjeras en un contexto particular. El contexto andorrano se caracteriza por un currículo competencial, basado en la construcción del conocimiento a partir de la inducción y de la resolución de problemas, dejando espacio a la actividad del alumnado y referenciando la matemática del aula en un contexto próximo (Ministerio de Educación y Enseñanza Superior [MEES], 2022).…”

“…Los resultados del ALS evidencian que una organización basada en la grabación y visionado masivo de vídeos de clase, combinada con sesiones de discusión previa y posterior (Figura 3), puede ser una solución para suplir los inconvenientes del lesson study cuando se cuenta con limitaciones de tiempo, de espacio y de personal. En este sentido, se produce no solamente una transposición cultural (Mellone et al, 2021), adaptándolo a las características del contexto escolar andorrano, sino una adaptación logística. La estructura definida en el ALS es reescalable y exportable a otros contextos escolares y adaptable a diferentes organizaciones en función de la cantidad de profesorado participante, el número de personas disponibles para realizar la observación y las oportunidades de mantener encuentros antes, durante y después de la observación entre el profesorado y el equipo investigador.…”

A comparison between the problem-solving teaching method (PSTM) used in China and western countries in primary

“…As mentioned above, compared with western teaching, Chinese teachers can add more games into class to stimulate students' interest. Mellone (2021), by analyzing the data collected on future teacher career development programs, pointed out that future teacher professional development should be centered on the teaching method of problem-solving activities, namely the thinking classroom. From the perspective of different cultural contexts and teaching practices.…”