Primary Mathematics Pedagogy at the Intersection of Education Reform, Policy, and Culture

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Murray ◽  
Princess Allotey
Keyword(s):  
Education Reform ◽  
Reform Policy ◽  
Mathematics Pedagogy ◽  
Primary Mathematics

Reform at the Intersection of Loose Coupling and Pedagogic Modalities: The Case of Hong Kong

2021 ◽  
pp. 001312452110019
Author(s):  
Trevor Tsz-lok Lee
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Education Reform ◽  
Global City ◽  
Coupling Agents ◽  
Loose Coupling ◽  
Secondary Curriculum ◽  
Reform Policy ◽  
Local Actors ◽  
Senior Secondary

This paper contributes to our understanding of the micro-policy experience of an implemented curriculum from the perspective of students, in addition to teachers, as the key coupling agents in the schools of a Chinese global city. Although the phenomenon of decoupling in educational policy is widely recognized, much less attention has been paid to the micro-dynamics involved in implementing education reform policy from the perspective of students and teachers. It is argued that these local actors’ experiences are best captured by the bi-dimensional framework of loose coupling and pedagogic modalities. This argument is illustrated through a case study of the implementation of the Liberal Studies reform under Senior Secondary Curriculum in Hong Kong since 2009. The study demonstrates how students and teachers interpret and make sense of policy, strategic, and practical needs manifested in the microprocesses of policy coupling and decoupling.

Teacher Educators’ Practice and Vision of Good Teaching in Teacher Education Reform Context in Ghana

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 194-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwame Akyeampong
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Education Reform ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Good Teaching ◽  
Teacher Education Reform ◽  
Primary Mathematics ◽  
Learner Centered ◽  
Learner Centered Pedagogy

Teacher education in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) has been criticized for the lack of attention to learning to teach in real classrooms, which limits the opportunity for pre-service teachers to successfully introduce learner-centered pedagogy in African primary school classrooms. To address this problem, Ghana has implemented a teacher education reform since 2004 to incorporate practicum. However, the critical role of teacher educators has been overlooked by policymakers, and few studies have qualitatively investigated their practice and vision. The study draws on qualitative data from the Ghana component of the Teacher Preparation in Africa (TPA) research project to explore eight teacher educators’ practice and vision of good teaching of primary mathematics. The study found that teacher educators’ practice and vision of good teaching consist of the use of teaching and learning materials (TLMs) and small group activities following specific steps without understanding the principles of learner-centered pedagogy that could be applied in a variety of classroom contexts and mathematics topics. The study also identified the hierarchical relationship between teacher educators and school teachers as a major challenge for effective practicum, limiting the opportunity to transform teacher educators’ vision and practice of primary mathematics teaching. Recommendations for enhancing professional learning opportunities for teacher educators are offered.

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