The nature and quality of the mathematical connections teachers make

Pythagoras

Hamsa Venkat¹  Michael K. Mhlolo²  Marc Schäfer² 

[1] Marang Centre for Mathematics and Science Education, University of the Witwatersrand;Mathematics Education Department, Rhodes University;

关键词: instructional strategies;    mathematical connections;    representations;    teacher support;   

DOI  :  10.4102/pythagoras.v33i1.22

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Current reforms in mathematics education emphasise the need for pedagogy because itoffers learners opportunities to develop their proficiency with complex high-level cognitiveprocesses. One has always associated the ability to make mathematical connections, togetherwith the teacher’s role in teaching them, with deep mathematical understanding. Thisarticle examines the nature and quality of the mathematical connections that the teachers’representations of those connections enabled or constrained. The researchers made videorecordings of four Grade 11 teachers as they taught a series of five lessons on algebra-relatedtopics. The results showed that the teachers’ representations of mathematical connections wereeither faulty or superficial in most cases. It compromised the learners’ opportunities for makingmeaningful mathematical connections. The researchers concluded by suggesting that helpingteachers to build their representation repertoires could increase the effectiveness of theirinstructional practices.

【 授权许可】

Unknown