Authoritative knowledge in initial teacher education: studying the role of subject textbooks through two ethnographic studies of mathematics teacher education

Abstract

Two related ethnographic research projects on mathematics teacher education in Sweden are presented in this paper. They represent a response to recent policy developments that reaffirm the value of authoritative subject studies content as the central and most important component in the professional knowledge base of would-be teachers and concomitant increases in the amount of subject studies in teacher education. These policy changes, in Sweden at least, lack scientific research support and the article argues that these policies need to be seriously rethought, as the increased emphasis on subject content may undermine the development of key professional skills.

Keywords:

• ethnography
• mathematics
• teacher education
• policy
• textbooks