Sustainability Development in Mathematics Education—A Case Study of What Kind of Meanings Do Prospective Class Teachers Find for the Mathematical Symbol “23”?

Abstract

In this article, our focus is on sustainable development in mathematics education from the point of view of teacher training. The aim was to develop prospective teachers' content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge of school mathematics. As a case study, we chose the mathematical symbol "a/b", and examined how prospective class teachers in Finland connect it to the concepts of fraction, ratio, division, rational number or probability. Mathematics textbooks often have a central role in lessons, and they affect strongly how pupils understand concepts and the relationships between them. We chose languaging as a multi-semiotic approach to interpreting what kind of meanings the prospective class teachers gave the mathematical symbol "a/b". The results show that some of these concepts are difficult to see at the same time from the given mathematical symbol. The concept of ratio is particularly difficult for prospective class teachers to interpret. Pictorial presentation supported the interpretations. Mathematics learning materials and teacher education should develop in accordance with the results of the study.

Enhancing Student Motivation in Secondary School Mathematics Courses: A Methodological Approach

“…This fact strengthens in students the sensation of working in a different way to the one they are used to during a conventional class, i.e., usually following an academic book sequentially. In addition, this fact could help students to relate the different mathematical concepts, thereby promoting more meaningful learning (it must be considered that both the order used for teaching mathematical concepts and the way in which the relationships between them are taught strongly affect the learning process [37]). Following is a brief description of the context of the experiment carried out by the authors:…”

An Analysis of Sustainable Activities in Japanese, Korean, and Singaporean Elementary Mathematics Textbooks

“…However, few studies have focused on mathematics education for sustainability in elementary school. Rather, the studies related to ESD usually focused on environment education (Kang, 2010), social science education (Martínez-Medina & Arrebola, 2019), high school students (Yuniarti et al, 2019), and prospective teachers (Joutsenlahti & Perkkilä, 2019;Zehetmeier & Krainer, 2011). Exceptionally, Serow (2015) suggested mathematical activities drawn from the mathematics curriculum in Australia and New Zealand for ESD in primary mathematics education.…”

Mathematics Applied to the Economy and Sustainable Development Goals: A Necessary Relationship of Dependence

“…Calabuig, Alsina and Geli [31] set out the profile that a teacher of the subject of mathematics should have in accordance with education for sustainability. Joutsenlahti and Perkkilä [32] explain sustainable development in mathematics education from the point of view of teacher training. Alsina and Mulà [33] identify the elements that make it possible to teach in the professional practice of mathematics through experiences based on reflective learning and education for sustainability.…”