Preservice elementary school teachers' knowledge of fractions: a mirror of students' knowledge?

This research analyses preservice teachers' knowledge of fractions. Fractions are notoriously difficult for students to learn and for teachers to teach. Previous studies suggest that student learning of fractions may be limited by teacher understanding of fractions. If so, teacher education has a key role in solving the problem. We first reviewed literature regarding students' knowledge of fractions. We did so because assessments of required content knowledge for teaching require review of the students' understanding to determine the mathematics difficulties encountered by students. The preservice teachers were tested on their conceptual and procedural knowledge of fractions, and on their ability in explaining the rationale for a procedure or the conceptual meaning. The results revealed that preservice teachers' knowledge of fractions indeed is limited and that last-year preservice teachers did not perform better than first-year preservice teachers. This research is situated within the broader domain of mathematical knowledge for teaching and suggests ways to improve instruction and student learning

Curriculum sequencing and the acquisition of clock reading skills among Chinese and Flemish children

The present study reexamines the adoption of clock reading skills in the primary mathematics curriculum. In many Western countries, the mathematics curriculum adopts a number of age-related stages for teaching clock reading skills, that were defined by early research (e.g., Friedman & laycock, 1989; Piaget, 1969). Through a comparison of Flemish and Chinese student’s clock reading abilities, the current study examines whether these age-related stages are a solid base for teaching clock reading skills. By means of both quantitative (ANOVA’s) and qualitative (textbook analysis) methods, the present study indicates that the alternative way of teaching clock reading skills in China, i.e., at the age of six instead of staggered out over several grades, results in a two years earlier acquisition of clock reading skills. This indicates that the previously age-related stages in children’s acquisition of clock reading are not universal, nor the most effective way to teach these skills to young children

Moeilijke onderwerpen in het wiskundecurriculum: een bevraging van leraren in het Vlaamse basisonderwijs

In deze studie werd door middel van vragenlijsten aan 918 leerkrachten gevraagd wat volgens hen moeilijke onderwerpen zijn in het wiskundecurriculum van het basisonderwijs in Vlaanderen. Uit deze bevraging blijkt dat wiskunde beschouwd kan worden als een moeilijk leergebied in het basisonderwijs. De leerkrachten geven aan dat vooral breuken, delen, numerieke verhoudingen, schaal, volume, en strategieën en probleemoplossende vaardigheden moeilijke onderwerpen zijn. Er wordt ook per groep weergegeven welke de onderwerpen zijn die in het Vlaamse wiskundecurriculum voorkomen

Mathematics learning difficulties: an analysis of primary school teachers' perceptions

In this contribution, we report findings on a questionnaire used to measure mathematics learning difficulties in primary education. This study especially centres on the commercially available learning packages (CALP: manuals and exercise books used in classroom) that have been implemented in primary education, since there is no research evidence available as to the efficacy and efficiency of these CALPs (manuals and exercise books used in classroom) in the Flemish context. A large and representative opportunity sample of 734 teachers from 190 primary schools participated in the study

Mathematics learning difficulties in primary education: teachers' professional knowledge and the use of commercially available learning packages

The present study builds on teachers' professional knowledge about mathematics learning difficulties. Based on the input of 918 primary school teachers, an attempt is made to develop an overview of difficult curriculum topics in primary school mathematics. The research approach builds on new conceptions about the professional identity of teachers and earlier conceptions that point at the critical relevance of teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. It is also found that the adoption of a specific commercially available learning package (CALP: manuals and exercise books used in the classroom) plays a mediating role

Finnish primary teachers' interaction with curriculum materials - digitalisation as an augmenting element

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A cross-cultural study of curriculum systems : mathematics curriculum reform in the U.S., Finland, Sweden, and Flanders

This paper relates to the mathematics curriculum systems of the United States, Finland, Sweden, and Flanders (Belgium). These four regions are in the midst of curriculum reform, which provides interesting grounds for cross-cultural comparison. Our analysis builds on a framework that focuseson curriculum policy, design and enactment in each of these regions and draws on interview data with teachers in all four regions, sample cases of curriculum use, context descriptions, and available descriptions of mathematics education in these four regions. This leads to a more nuanced understanding of the particular curriculum systems through which reform manifests, and sheds light on a challenging balance concerning a curriculum reform that is both coherent across a region and supported by teachers.Peer reviewe