Making the Most of the Numbers: A Study on the Opportunities to Learn and Mathematical Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Finnish Mathematics Subject Teacher Students
Reloj, Xavier Antonio (2024)
2024
Master's Programme in Teaching, Learning and Media Education
Kasvatustieteiden ja kulttuurin tiedekunta - Faculty of Education and Culture
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2024-05-13
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202404244292
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202404244292
Tiivistelmä
Finnish documents state that teacher education should help prospective teachers develop high levels of pedagogical content knowledge. However, little research exists about this knowledge and the opportunities to learn it in the Finnish context.
This study aimed to address this gap by administering a questionnaire to a sample of mathematics subject teacher students (N = 12) measuring their perceptions of the opportunities to learn (OTLs) in teacher education and their mathematical pedagogical content knowledge (MPCK). Variables from the responses were created and analyzed through nonparametric tests and regression techniques.
Results indicated that the teacher students viewed their programs were effective in preparing them to teach mathematics yet were ambivalent about specific areas of OTLs. Analyzing individual statements revealed that learning about student-centered pedagogy was a significant part of their studies. Findings also revealed that teacher students had difficulty in MPCK items pertaining to Geometry and the Explanation and Representation of mathematical concepts. Regression analysis showed OTLs to be a negative predictor of MPCK.
These findings showed potential strengths & gaps in the studies of mathematics subject teacher students. However, these findings must also be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size.
This study aimed to address this gap by administering a questionnaire to a sample of mathematics subject teacher students (N = 12) measuring their perceptions of the opportunities to learn (OTLs) in teacher education and their mathematical pedagogical content knowledge (MPCK). Variables from the responses were created and analyzed through nonparametric tests and regression techniques.
Results indicated that the teacher students viewed their programs were effective in preparing them to teach mathematics yet were ambivalent about specific areas of OTLs. Analyzing individual statements revealed that learning about student-centered pedagogy was a significant part of their studies. Findings also revealed that teacher students had difficulty in MPCK items pertaining to Geometry and the Explanation and Representation of mathematical concepts. Regression analysis showed OTLs to be a negative predictor of MPCK.
These findings showed potential strengths & gaps in the studies of mathematics subject teacher students. However, these findings must also be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size.