The development of mathematics education in Estonia at the beginning of the 21th century Jüri Afanasjev Lea Lepmann Tiit Lepmann.

The development of mathematics education in Estonia at the

beginning of the 21th century

Jüri AfanasjevLea LepmannTiit Lepmann

Problems will be reviewed

National mathematics curricula

Textbooks

National achievement tests and examinations

Teaching staff

Training of mathematics teachers

National mathematics curricula• Historical background remarks

• National mathematics curricula after regaining independence in 1991 to currently effective national curriculum of 2002

• National mathematics curricula drafts from 2004 to 2009

• Some numeric data about the amount of mathematics lessons.

Textbooks

• The textbooks compiled by Estonian authors have

been in use since the beginning of the 1960s. • one of the Estonian mathematics textbooks (For

grades V-VI, the authors Telgmaa and Nurk) was awarded the first prize in the Soviet Union in 1987.

• This textbook (grade VI) was translated into English in 2003 and it is still in use in the state of Ohio in the U.S.A.

A. Telgmaa, E. Nurk. Mathematics grade VI

Textbooks in the independent Estonia

• At the beginning of the 1990s, numerous new mathematics textbooks appeared at school.

• At present in each grade from I – XII, the teachers have a possibility of choice among three different mathematics textbooks.

• The curriculum gives material for three grades (school stage) together but textbooks are written for one grade.

Authors of the textbooks

• Grades I, II, III:

1) E. Noor, R. Kolde, H. Sikka (I, II)

2) A. Palu, K. Kubri, M. Vares

3) K. Belials (I, III), S. Piht (II)

• Grades IV, V, VI:

1) A. Telgmaa, E. Nurk, E. Noor ( IV)

2) K. Kaasik, N. Cibulskaite, M. Stričkiene

3) H. Kaasik (grade V)

Authors of the textbooks

• grades VII, VIII, IX:

1) A. Telgmaa, A. Undusk, E. Nurk (VII, VIII), M. Lepik (VIII),

T. Lepmann (IX), K. Velsker (IX)

2) T. Tõnso (VII, IX), A. Veelmaa (VIII)

3) E. Pais, K. Matiisen, A. Kontson, K. Kaldmäe

• grades X, XI, XII:

1) T. Tõnso, A. Veelmaa, A. Levin (XI)

2) L. Lepmann, T. Lepmann, K. Velsker

3) R. Kolde, T. Kaljas

Textbooks

• Since the number of mathematics lessons varies in different schools, most of mathematics textbooks contain more material than the national curriculum requires.

• It often happens that the teachers plan their work on the basis of the textbook will to teach all the material in it even in the case of covering only minimum hours.

National achievement tests and examinations

• In 1996 already the rule was laid down that the so called attained curriculum is going to be tested at the end of each school stage.

• External assessment is organized by the National Examinations Centre.

• At the end two first school stages (in grades III and VI), a national achievement test is administered every year.

• The centre selects about 80 schools (1200 – 1500 students). Analysis-based summaries are published on the homepage of the examinations centre.

National examination at the end of compulsory school

• At the end of grade IX all students have to take an obligatory final examination in mathematics.

• Tasks are compiled at the National Examinations Centre by the board .

• The examination papers include four obligatory tasks and from among the other four students have to choose two.

• Tests are marked at school in accordance with the evaluation manual sent to school.

• Likewise, the examinations centre selects every year c. 1000 papers for an in-depth analysis.

National examination at the end of gymnasium

• At the end of grade XII, the national examination in

mathematics is optional. • The students are admitted to higher educational institutions

on the basis of the outcomes of national examinations.

• The tasks for this examination are also compiled by the board made up in the examinations centre.

• Examination tasks are not marked at school but in the

examinations centre by an all-republican board.

National examination at the end of gymnasium

• The examination paper consists of two parts. The first part contains six obligatory tasks, then after a 45-minutes interval, in the second part students have to solve three tasks out of four.

• The number of students who choose mathematics examination has reduced by the year .

• That is why during the recent years technical specialities at universities experience difficulties in finding competent students.

Amount of students taking national mathematics exam (since 2004)

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

54% 52% 44% 40% 36% 38%

The teaching staff

• C. 2000 mathematics teachers are engaged in the teaching of mathematics in schools of Estonia.

• Super-high proportion of female teachers (c. 90%)

• 40 % of our mathematics teachers are over 50 years of age.

• Relatively few young people come to be trained as

teachers of mathematics.

The training of mathematics teachers• Mathematics teachers are trained at the Tartu University

and Tallinn University. • Tallinn University: training of mathematics teachers for

both compulsory school and gymnasium in the Institute of Mathematics and Sciences. After BSc programme, students may continue in a Master’s programme: mathematics teachers either for compulsory school or for gymnasium.

• Tartu University: teachers for grades V – XII are trained in the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science and teachers for grades V – IX in the Faculty of Education (Curriculum of Sciences, after graduation may teach mathematics, physics and/or computer science) .

Teacher training• In independent Estonia mathematics teachers have been educated

mainly on three different curricula. • The so called transition curricula were effective until 1991 (5

years). • Since 1991, the curricula known as 4+1 were enforced: 4 years of

Bachelor’s programme and 1 year of teacher training. • Beginning with 2002, both Tartu University and Tallinn University

adopted the 3+2 system: 3 years of BSc studies and 2 years of MSc studies.

• Each major change into the teacher training curriculum has brought about the reduction in the number of graduates.

• Within the years 1996–2008, 10 students a year on an average graduated from Tartu University. A large number of class teachers teach mathematics on the compulsory school level.

ConclusionsPositive

• Schools themselves have the possibility of establishing the number of hours in mathematics, only the minimum number of hours is centrally required in each subject.

• Each grade has a variety of textbooks and the teacher can choose an appropriate one.

• The curriculum is in a relatively good accordance with internationally recognizable content of school mathematics. It is demonstrated by Estonian students’ good results in international tests such as TIMSS and PISA.

ConclusionsNegative

• In the course of reorganization, the number of obligatory hours in mathematics has considerably reduced. Bulky textbooks and a strict external testing by the ministry cause severe stress in teachers and students.

• Development of mathematics curriculum has taken and is taking place against the background of continually indefinite education policy. Mostly the curriculum developers have no conclusive clarity even about the number of hours allocated to mathematics and the relationship between the course and school-leaving examinations, to say nothing about continually changing requirements set to the presentation and layout of the syllabus. The request of mathematicians to teach two courses of different levels in grades X-XII (extended and curtailed) and based on those, to administer two-level examinations, has not been conclusively complied with yet.

Conclusions

Negative

• The teaching staff are getting older and more female, the number of unqualified teachers is growing, in particular in compulsory school where mathematics is taught by teachers without respective education.

• A nationally regulated in-service system for teachers is lacking.

Thank you!