South African Primary Mathematics Teachers’ Experiences and Perspectives About Lesson Study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the development of mathematics teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) over successive cycles of lesson study. Utilising the framework of mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) (Ball et al., 2008), this research classifies features of PCK as utilised by post-primary mathematics teachers in their planning and reflection conversations in lesson study. The development of these features of PCK is then traced over successive cycles. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 12 teachers in two Irish post-primary schools participated in this research. Over the course of one academic year, these two groups of teachers completed a number of cycles of lesson study and qualitative data were generated through audio recordings of all lesson study meetings and through individual interviews with participants. Findings – Analysis of teacher dialogue reveals distinct features of knowledge of content and students (KCS) and knowledge of content and teaching (KCT) incorporated by these teachers in their planning and reflection conversations, providing empirical evidence of MKT in lesson study. The occurrence of these features of KCS and KCT in lesson study conversations increased over successive cycles, demonstrating teacher learning. Originality/value – This research contributes to the literature in expanding the theoretical underpinnings of teacher learning in lesson study. It also provides further empirical evidence of MKT (Ball et al., 2008) in teacher practice, specifically related to post-primary mathematics teachers.

Download Full-text

Development in South African Primary Mathematics Teacher Educators’ Work with In-Service Teachers

International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education ◽

10.1007/s10763-021-10161-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hamsa Venkat ◽

Mike Askew

Keyword(s):

South African ◽

Mathematics Teacher ◽

Teacher Educators ◽

Primary Mathematics ◽

Mathematics Teacher Educators

Download Full-text

Teaching Mathematics during the COVID-19 Lockdown in a Context of Historical Disadvantage

Education Sciences ◽

10.3390/educsci11040177 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 177

Author(s):

Brantina Chirinda ◽

Mdutshekelwa Ndlovu ◽

Erica Spangenberg

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

South African ◽

Mathematics Teachers ◽

Education System ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Face To Face ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

Education Community ◽

South African Education

The COVID-19 global pandemic widely affected education across the world and engendered unprecedented scenarios that required expeditious responses. In South Africa, the pandemic came on top of pre-existing inequalities in the education system. Using a qualitative research method of exploratory and descriptive nature, this study engaged a social justice framework to explore the teaching and learning of mathematics during the COVID-19 lockdown in a context of historical disadvantage. A sample of twenty-three Grade 12 mathematics teachers at various public secondary schools in Gauteng, South Africa was used in the study. The teachers were selected through purposive sampling. A Google-generated open-ended questionnaire and follow-up telephonic interviews were used to collect data. Data were analysed thematically in five steps. The findings revealed that the WhatsApp platform is a valuable tool that can support the teaching and learning of mathematics beyond the classroom in the contexts of historical disadvantage. The findings also provided insights into how mathematics teachers became learners themselves during emergency remote teaching (ERT) as they had to adapt to digital teaching, find solutions to unfamiliar problems and acquire knowledge from a larger mathematics education community around the globe. The article discusses these findings and teachers’ challenges of transitioning from traditional face-to-face classrooms to ERT and how they were addressed. At the time of publishing the article, most learners in South Africa had started going to school on a rotational basis. Nonetheless, the study reported in this article is of importance as ERT in the context of historical disadvantage has foregrounded issues of inequality in the South African education system that must be dealt with urgently.

Download Full-text