Mathematics teachers’ conceptions about modelling activities and its reflection on their beliefs about mathematics

• Juhaina Awawdeh Shahbari ^[1]
  1. [1] Al-Qasemi Academic College of Education

     Al-Qasemi Academic College of Education

     Israel

     
• Localización: International journal of mathematical education in science and technology, ISSN 0020-739X, Vol. 49, Nº. 5, 2018, págs. 721-742
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • The current study examines whether the engagement of mathematics teachers in modelling activities and subsequent changes in their conceptions about these activities affect their beliefs about mathematics. The sample comprised 52 mathematics teachers working in small groups in four modelling activities. The data were collected from teachers' Reports about features of each activity, interviews and questionnaires on teachers' beliefs about mathematics. The findings indicated changes in teachers' conceptions about the modelling activities. Most teachers referred to the first activity as a mathematical problem but emphasized only the mathematical notions or the mathematical operations in the modelling process; changes in their conceptions were gradual. Most of the teachers referred to the fourth activity as a mathematical problem and emphasized features of the whole modelling process. The results of the interviews indicated that changes in the teachers' conceptions can be attributed to structure of the activities, group discussions, solution paths and elicited models. These changes about modelling activities were reflected in teachers' beliefs about mathematics. The quantitative findings indicated that the teachers developed more constructive beliefs about mathematics after engagement in the modelling activities and that the difference was significant, however there was no significant difference regarding changes in their traditional beliefs.