Research project TRACE - Tracing mathematics teacher education in practice
The aim of this project is to further knowledge about the learning of becoming and newly graduated mathematics teachers, about their participation in school practices, and how they develop a teacher identity.
The project further focus on how the content and experiences from teacher education is recontextualised by student teachers in their last year and teachers new to the profession.
Following student teachers from their last year in teacher education to their third year in the profession, we obtain insights into how novice teachers learn in their professional practice.
Project description
The project has the following stated aims:
- Describe current mathematics teacher education practices with respect to the didactical theories and techniques taught, the ways in which theory and practice are engaged, and the engagement with culturally inclusive teaching practices.
- Understand processes and outcomes of transformation of content from teacher education.
- Contribute to understanding teachers' learning as reflected in changes to their mathematical discourses in instruction (MDI, see section on frameworks), application of didactical techniques, and inclusivity of teaching.
- Identify influences of teacher education on teachers' learning.
- Use the aforementioned insights to provide input on current teacher education programs and develop an international Masters in mathematics teacher education (for teacher educators).
Background
A review of literature on mathematics teacher learning reveals that knowledge about how teachers learn in and from practice is limited, as is knowledge of how they adapt content from their teacher education. Thus, we have an insufficient basis for research-informed selection and sequencing of content in mathematics teacher education, for later interventions with teachers, and for support to retain and develop teachers in the profession.
Project design
Following student teachers from their last year in teacher education to their third year in the profession, we obtain insights into how novice teachers learn in their professional practice. The study focuses on several perspectives:
(a) didactical content taught in current mathematics teacher education programs,
(b) student teachers' take-up of didactical content;
(c) how novice teachers change their practices in schools, including how they adapt and transform what they learned in teacher education;
(d) which conditions/constraints impact how they adapt and transform didactical content from teacher education; and
(e) how the novice teachers take part in their school communities, over time.
In Sweden, the project is a collaboration between Malmö University and Stockholm University. It has a sister project in South Africa, and we are aiming to develop an additional sister project in Rwanda.
Data in the project
The empirical component of the study is longitudinal, spanning four years. The first year, we collect data from student teachers. Novice teachers are observed and interviewed yearly for the remaining three years.
During the last year of their teacher education, we observe student teachers teaching in the practicum, interview them about the observed lessons, interview them about their learning from teacher education, and if possible record mentoring conversations and the so-called three-party-conversations.
We follow the same people three years into their career, with repeated observations and interviews. If possible, we supplement with recordings of meetings amongst teacher groups.
Analytical perspectives
Theoretically, the project applies the theories and frameworks of commognition, mathematical discourse in instruction, and the anthropological theory of the didactic.
What we hope to contribute
Through the longitudinal and intercultural approach, it will be possible to interrogate the challenges which newly graduated mathematics teachers face in different contexts. The project can in this way focus on the quality of mathematics teacher education in the participating countries. It will be possible to identify and understand possibilities in the teacher education practices. With vignettes about teacher education this project can extend into contributing to how content and structure of teacher education is selected, created and organised.
Project members
Project managers
Iben Maj Christiansen
Professor
Members
Anette De Ron
Lecturer, PhD student
Anna Pansell
Senior lecturer, Director of studies
Catharina Andersson
Associate professor
Claudia Corriveau
Associate professor
Eva-Lena Erixon
Senior Lecturer Didactics of Mathematics
Kerstin Pettersson
Associate professor
Kicki Skog
Senior lecturer
Lisa Österling
Senior lecturer
Veronica Jatko Kraft
Lecturer, Director of studies for teaching placement
Publications
de Ron, A., and Skog, K. (2022).
Entaglements of circles, phi and strings. In C. Fernández, S. Llinares, A. Gutiérrez, & N. Planas (Eds.), Proceedings of the 45th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 2, pp. 211-218). PME.
More about this project
On-going activities in the project
We hope many of you will follow and interact with the TRACE-project. Join our discussions on https://tracingmathematicsteachereducation.blogspot.com, or Researchgate https://www.researchgate.net/project/TRACE-Tracing-mathematics-teacher-education.