Prospective secondary teachers repositioning by designing, implementing and testing mathematics learning objects: a conceptual framework

Abstract

This article describes a conceptual framework developed to illuminate how prospective teachers’ learning experiences are shaped by didactic-sensitive activities in departments of mathematics. We draw from the experiences of prospective teachers in the Department of Mathematics at our institution in designing, implementing (i.e. computer programming) and testing mathematics learning objects. Based on Mason's work on awareness, a pilot small-scale study, and reflections on practice, we identified ownership, engagement, and pride as keys for positive learning experiences. We postulated that prospective teachers experience more ownership, engagement and pride while creating learning objects than doing more traditional tasks. This called for a large-scale study and hence a need for a conceptual framework. Embedded in our research is the question of whether there is a shift in prospective teachers’ relationships to mathematics and mathematics didactics in terms of ownership, engagement and pride provoked by one activity relative to another. We characterize this shift as ‘repositioning.’

Keywords:

• mathematics needed for teaching
• prospective teachers
• learning by design
• innovative undergraduate mathematics program
• learning objects

Notes

Note

1. MICA I–II are core courses and MICA III is a core course only for the MICA students enrolling in the computational and applied stream (III is optional for all other students).