Non-Specialist Primary School Mathematics Teachers’ Professional Identity

IF 0.2 Q4 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Africa Education Review Pub Date : 2022-03-04 DOI:10.1080/18146627.2023.2225750

Sonja van Putten, N. Blom, Zanele Dibane

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Abstract

Abstract This study explored the mathematics teacher identity (MTI) of three purposefully selected grade 6 non-specialist primary school mathematics teachers. The participants’ subject matter knowledge and didactical skills were explored by means of semi-structured interviews, lesson observations, and document analysis of lesson plans. The data were analysed using thematic analysis; themes were predetermined from the conceptual framework, and codes and categories emerged from the semi-structured interview transcriptions. The conceptual framework describes teacher identity in terms of subject knowledge, teaching and learning knowledge, and the skills and ability to care for the learners as people. The analysis of the data indicated that non-specialist primary school mathematics teachers not only lack subject matter knowledge, but also do not have the teaching skills to recognise and address the learners’ lack of understanding of concepts. In turn, this influences the teaching and learning of mathematics in their classroom and results are generally poor. In particular, the three participants demonstrated difficulties in explaining new concepts and in employing a learner-centred approach. It is recommended that in-service training workshops be tailored to teach both content and didactics as well as the skills required to become reflective practitioners to better equip non-specialist mathematics teachers for the mathematics classroom.

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小学非专业数学教师的专业认同

摘要本研究探讨了三位有意选择的六年级非专业小学数学教师的数学教师身份（MTI）。通过半结构化访谈、课堂观察和课程计划的文件分析，探究参与者的主题知识和教学技能。使用专题分析对数据进行了分析；主题是从概念框架中预先确定的，代码和类别是从半结构化的访谈转录中产生的。概念框架从学科知识、教学知识以及作为人照顾学习者的技能和能力等方面描述了教师身份。数据分析表明，非专业小学数学教师不仅缺乏学科知识，而且不具备识别和解决学习者对概念缺乏理解的教学技能。这反过来又影响了他们课堂上的数学教学，结果普遍较差。特别是，三名参与者在解释新概念和采用以学习者为中心的方法方面表现出了困难。建议量身定制在职培训讲习班，教授内容和教学方法，以及成为反思型从业者所需的技能，以便更好地为数学课堂配备非专业数学教师。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Africa Education Review EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH-

CiteScore

1.40

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： Africa Education Review is a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal that seeks the submission of unpublished articles on current educational issues. It encourages debate on theory, policy and practice on a wide range of topics that represent a variety of disciplines, interdisciplinary, cross-disciplinary and transdisciplinary interests on international and global scale. The journal therefore welcomes contributions from associated disciplines including sociology, psychology and economics. Africa Education Review is interested in stimulating scholarly and intellectual debate on education in general, and higher education in particular on a global arena. What is of particular interest to the journal are manuscripts that seek to contribute to the challenges and issues facing primary and secondary in general, and higher education on the African continent and in the global contexts in particular. The journal welcomes contributions based on sound theoretical framework relating to policy issues and practice on the various aspects of higher education.