Using a constructivist inquiry paradigm, the authors attempted in their content analysis to understand the social representations on race and ethnocentrism of preservice secondary teachers studying in an urban university in a Midwest city in the United States. Although social representations can be understood as something in which our participants deeply believe, this study suggests that racial and ethnocentric biases should be examined in the context of multi- and intercultural education. The authors favor a way of revisiting taken-for-granted ideas toward traditional, liberal, and critical or radical multiculturalism. They argue for the recognition not only of the differences and diversity of students (multicultural perspective) but also of the way in which teachers understand, communicate, and interact with them (intercultural perspective).
Many pre-service and in-service mathematics teachers have reflected vulnerabilities and unpreparedness for online teaching during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. They searched for supports and resources to enhance their knowledge, skills, and dispositions relative to online teaching and learning. However, there is no clear path towards reaching these goals. This qualitative and interpretive research focuses on 48 pre-service and in-service teachers’ online teaching and learning experiences; while they were engaged in a semester-long mathematics-method course. The findings of this study suggest that factors, like interactions, communication, and peer support impact the pre-service and the in-service mathematics teachers’ beliefs and practices toward online teaching and learning. The findings also suggest that social and cultural factors, such as knowing and understanding students’ cultural background, access and equity in mathematics education, learners’ social and emotional development, and parents’ involvement influence mathematics teachers’ practices regarding online teaching and learning. The findings indicate that the transformation from in-person to online learning requires the enhancement of pre-service and in-service mathematics teachers’ online preparations, particularly in the areas of technology, pedagogy, communication skills, and classroom management.
Abstract. Many elementary pre-service teachers (PSTs) have negative experiences regarding learning mathematics. They carry these prior negative experiences with them as they take their mathematics methods courses for teaching young children and they express their lack of confidence in teaching mathematics. This qualitative and descriptive study describes 23 elementary PSTs' stated experiences, expectations, beliefs, and attitudes toward mathematics during their K-12 schooling and college mathematics courses. The study examines how a semesterlong methods course in mathematics provides these PSTs an opportunity to re-evaluate their assumptions about what mathematics is and the role of teachers and learners in mathematics classrooms. In addition, the study describes the challenges that the primary researcher and the instructor of the course face. It illustrates the strategies he uses to accommodate PSTs' professional transformation. Data was collected throughout participants' enrollment in a semester-long course called Mathematics Instruction in Preschool and the Primary Grades, which was taken in conjunction with their practicum. Data sources included university classroom observations, pre-service teachers' verbal and written responses to class discussions, reading assignments, course activities, presentations, and a final reflective paper. PSTs' responses were categorized and common themes were derived from the triangulation of data to include prospective teachers' critical reflections on teaching and learning, transformation of their stated beliefs and attitudes toward mathematics, and their concerns and struggles.
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