ERIC Number: EJ1160863
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1442-3901
EISSN: N/A
Prospective Elementary Teachers' Beliefs about Collaborative Problem Solving and Dialogue in Mathematics
Xenofontos, Constantinos; Kyriakou, Artemis
Mathematics Teacher Education and Development, v19 n2 p142-158 2017
This study is concerned with prospective elementary teachers' beliefs about collaborative problem solving and dialogue in mathematics classrooms. Participants (n = 16) attended an undergraduate module titled "Problem Solving in Primary Mathematics", which was specifically designed to provide them with opportunities in collaborative problem solving and dialogic activities. Students were invited to answer an open-ended questionnaire at the beginning and end of the course. In addition, at the end of the semester, students wrote individual reflective reports commenting on their experiences. Qualitative analyses revealed three areas of beliefs for which positive changes were observed: (a) dialogue and its relation to school mathematics, (b) the characteristics of a "good" interlocutor, and (c) the importance of collaborative problem solving. This paper closes with a discussion concerning the implementations of our findings and suggestions for future research.
Descriptors: Preservice Teachers, Elementary School Teachers, Student Attitudes, Beliefs, Teacher Collaboration, Problem Solving, Mathematics Instruction, Foreign Countries, Undergraduate Students, Questionnaires, Preservice Teacher Education, Qualitative Research, Workshops
Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia. GPO Box 2747, Adelaide SA 5001, Australia. Tel: +61-8-8363-0288; Fax: +61-8-8362-9288; e-mail: mted@merga.net.au; Web site: http://www.merga.net.au/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Cyprus
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A