Why new mathematics teachers do or don’t use practices emphasized in their credential program

Developing Self-Efficacy in Teaching Mathematics: Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions of the Role of Subject Knowledge

“…The distinction between 'understanding why' and 'understanding how' becomes particularly salient when PSTs enter school placement, a standard component of most programs worldwide (Darling-Hammond & Lieberman, 2013). Tensions between the research-and theory-driven inquiry-based approaches to teaching mathematics advocated by universities and a test-driven focus on the application of procedural methods in schools are widely reported (Gainsburg, 2012;Nolan, 2008Nolan, , 2012. In the Norwegian context in which this study took place, investigation of these tensions found that many PSTs in a first-year sample seemed to 'miss the point' of much of the more theoretical input offered in a university teacher education programme, valuing practicebased learning gained from teacher-mentors in school placement more highly than university learning (Bjerke, Eriksen, Rodal, Smestad, & Solomon, 2013b).…”

Navigating the Challenges of Becoming a Culturally Responsive Teacher: Supportive Networking May Be the Key

“…Despite the rationale behind these new requirements, researchers suggest graduates of teacher education programs do not always transfer, or apply, the best practices they learn in their university courses to their teaching practice (Brown & Bentley, 2004;de Jong, Cullity, Sharp, Spiers, & Wren, 2010;Gainsburg, 2012;Lloyd, 2013;Pepper, Blackwell, Monroe, & Coskey, 2012;Scott & Baker, 2003). Researchers attribute the lack of learning transfer to a variety of factors, including factors related to course features (e.g., course length, if students had the opportunity to apply the tools learned in a variety of contexts during the course), to the student (e.g., ability, personality, motivation), and to the workplace (e.g., how much support is available, if there is an opportunity to use what was learned (Gainsburg, 2012;Prebble et al, 2005;Van den Bossche & Segers, 2013).…”

“…Researchers attribute the lack of learning transfer to a variety of factors, including factors related to course features (e.g., course length, if students had the opportunity to apply the tools learned in a variety of contexts during the course), to the student (e.g., ability, personality, motivation), and to the workplace (e.g., how much support is available, if there is an opportunity to use what was learned (Gainsburg, 2012;Prebble et al, 2005;Van den Bossche & Segers, 2013).…”

“…To date, researchers have examined learning transfer from education courses addressing a variety of content areas (Brown & Bentley, 2004;de Jong et al, 2010;Gainsburg, 2012;Lloyd, 2013;Pepper et al, 2012;Scott & Baker, 2003). However, no studies were found examining learning transfer from courses focused on culturally responsive teaching practices despite the growing numbers of these courses in higher education nationally.…”

Making abstract mathematics concrete in and out of school

“…In terms of the framework we have outlined, this could be the "empty verbalism" described earlier. However, we would argue that it illustrates not just the weak interrelation with the concrete in school mathematics, but also weak attention to the systemic nature of the abstract formal system too, as school curricula often atomize topics and limit the systemic connections that can be made in mathematics (e.g., Gainsburg, 2012).…”