Aera 2012

Teachers' epistemic beliefs !about MKT definitions

Reidar Mosvold and Janne Fauskanger

Overview

• Title of our paper: Teachers' knowledge of mathematical definitions: What they need to know, and what they think they need to know!

• RQ: What do teachers' reflections on MKT items reveal about their epistemic beliefs concerning mathematical knowledge for teaching definitions?!!!

In our paper, 'epistemic beliefs' refer to teachers' domain-specific beliefs about knowledge and knowing (MKT definitions)

Methods

• Focus group interviews (7)!• Fifteen participating teachers!• New analysis of data!• Content analysis of transcriptions (two

independent)!• Word counts, key words in context, emerging

categories, qualitative analysis and discussions

Results

• Definitions and related terms were discussed in all interviews!

• All interviews contained negative statements!• All but one interview contained positive

statements

Positive statement

Negative statement

Results #2

• Knowledge of definitions is an important pre-requisite!

• Remembering the definitions is not an important part of teachers' knowledge!

• Definitions are more important in the higher grades!

• Correct definitions might be confusing to students

Conclusions

• Knowledge of definitions is important!• ... but remembering the definitions is not!

Questions for further discussion

• Answers to multiple-choice items + written reflections—potentials, limitations, suggestions?!

• FGI with MKT items as starting point—possibilities, limitations, analysis, theory?

And, that's all...

• Thanks for listening!!• Our website: http://ukm-stavanger.info!• My website: http://rmosvold.com !• My email: reidar.mosvold@uis.no !• Twitter: @rmosvold

The egg

Tasks of teaching

Example item

Background

• Norwegian MKT project (2008-2012)!• Translating and adapting items!• Tests and focus group interviews!• PD course!• International collaboration!• There's something about these tasks of

teaching...

Some relevant publications

• NPT 2008 (knowledge and beliefs, MKT)!• AERA 2009 and NOMAD 2009 (challenges of

translation)!• NPT 2010 (challenges of adaptation)!• NOMAD 2011 (challenges of format)!• TME 2012 (cultural challenges)!• ZDM 2012 (IRT and ongoing adaptation)!• AERA 2012 (epistemic beliefs about MKT)

Implications and suggestions

• MKT and beliefs!• FGIs about particular tasks of teaching!• Cultural differences in teachers' beliefs about

MKT!• Cultural differences regarding the tasks of

teaching!• Curriculum material, beliefs, MKT, ... Cultural

aspects