Mathematics Student Teachers’ Epistemological Beliefs about the Nature of Mathematics and the Goals of Mathematics Teaching and Learning in the Beginning of Their Studies

Antti Viholainen; Mervi Asikainen; Pekka E. Hirvonen

doi:10.12973/eurasia.2014.1028a

Full Text (PDF)

Antti Viholainen ¹ ^* , Mervi Asikainen ¹, Pekka E. Hirvonen ¹

More Detail

¹ University of Eastern Finland, Finland^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This article examines Finnish mathematics student teachers’ epistemological beliefs concerning the nature of mathematics and the goals of mathematics teaching and learning solely in the beginning of their studies at university. A total of 18 students participated in a study consisting of a short questionnaire and interviews. The data was analyzed by categorizing the views presented in terms of four mathematics-related orientations. According to the results, student teachers often regarded mathematics mainly as a static system, but their beliefs about the goals of mathematics teaching and learning consisted of features that derive from all of the four orientations. Future teachers’ beliefs can be affected by teacher education and hence the results are important for teacher educators to be recognized.

Keywords

beliefs
nature of mathematics
student teacher
teacher education

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 10, Issue 2, 2014, 159-171

https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2014.1028a

Publication date: 15 Jun 2017

Article Views: 3683

Article Downloads: 2365

Open Access References How to cite this article

References

Beswick, K. (2005). The belief/practice connection in broadly defined contexts. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 17(2), 39–68.
Blömeke, S., Müller, C., Felbrich, A. & Kaiser, G. (2008). Entwicklung des erziehungswissenschaftlichen Wissens und der professionellen Überzeugungen in der Lehrerausbildung. In S. Blömeke, G. Kaiser & R. Lehmann (Eds.), Professionelle Kompetenz angehender Lehrerinnen und Lehrer. Wissen, Überzeugungen und Lerngelegenheiten deutscher Matematik-Studierender und – Referendare-erste Ergebnisse zur Wirksamkeit der Lehrerausbildung (pp. 303–326). Münster: Waxmann.
Brown, J. R. (2005). Naturalism, pictures, and Platonic intuitions. In P. Mancosu, K. F. Jørgensen & S. A. Pedersen (Eds.), Visualization, explanation and reasoning styles in mathematics (pp. 57-73). Dordrecht: Springer.
Crawford, K., Gordon, S., Nicholas, J., & Prosser, M. (1998). Qualitatively different experiences of learning mathematics at university. Learning and Instruction, 8(5), 455–468.
Ernest, P. (1989). The impact of beliefs on the teaching of mathematics. In P. Ernest (Ed.), Mathematics teaching: the state of the art (pp. 249-253). New York: Falmer.
Felbrich, A., Müller, C. & Blömeke, S. (2008). Epistemological beliefs concerning the nature of mathematics among teacher educators and teacher education students in mathematics. ZDM Mathematics Education, 40, 763–776.
Furinghetti, F. & Pehkonen, E. (2003). Rethinking characterizations of beliefs. In G. C. Leder, E. Pehkonen & G. Törner (Eds.), Beliefs: a hidden variable in mathematics education? (pp. 39-57). Secaurus, NJ, USA: Kluwer Academic Publisher.
Grigutsch, S., Ratz, U. & Törner, G. (1998). Einstellungen gegenüber Mathematik bei Mathematiklehrern. Journal für Mathematikdidaktik, 19, 3–45.
Hannula, M. S. (2011). The structure and dynamics of affect in mathematical thinking and learning. In Pytlak, M., Rowland, T. & Swoboda, E. (Eds.), Proceedings of the Seventh Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education (pp. 34-60). Rzeszów, Poland: University of Rzeszów & European Society for Research in Mathematics Education.
Hart, L. (1989). Describing the affective domain: saying what we mean. In McLeod, D., & Adams, V. (Eds.), Affect and Mathematical Problem Solving, (pp. 37-45). New York: Springer Verlag.
Hassinen, S. (2006). Idealähtöistä koulualgebraa. IDEAAopetusmallin kehittäminen algebran opetuksen peruskoulun 7. luokalla. Tutkimuksia 274. Helsinki: Yliopistopaino.
Johnson, K. E. & Golombek, P. R. (2002). Inquiry into experience. In K. E. Johnson & P. R. Golombek (Eds.), Teachers' Narrative Inquiry as Professional Development (pp. 1- 14). New York: Cambride University Press.
Llinarres, S. & Krainer, K. (2006). Mathematics (student) teachers and teacher educators as learners. In Á. Gutiérrez & P. Boero (Eds.) Handbook of Research on the Psychology of Mathematics Education: Past, Present, and Future (pp. 429-459). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Lloyd, G. M. & Wilson, M. (1998). Supporting innovation: The impact of teacher’s conceptions on functions on his implementation of a reform curriculum. Journal for Research on Mathematics Education, 29, 248-274. (Referred in Furinghetti & Pehkonen, 2003)
Mayring, P. (2000). Qualitative content analysis. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 1(2). Retrieved March 28, 2013, from http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs-texte/2- 00/02-00mayring-e.htm
McLeod, D. B. (1992). Research on affect in mathematics education: a reconceptualization. In D.A.Grouws (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Mathematics Learning and Teaching (pp. 575-596). New York: MacMillan.
National Board of Education [NBE]. (2003). National Core Curriculum for Upper Secondary Schools. Vammala: Vammalan kirjapaino. Available at http://www.oph.fi/download/47678_core_curricula_u pper_secondary_education.pdf
Nisbet, S. & Warren, E. (2000). Primary school teachers’ beliefs relating to mathematics, teaching and assessing mathematics and factors that influence these beliefs. Mathematics Teacher Education and Development, 2, 34-47.
Nivalainen, V., Asikainen, M. A. & Hirvonen, P. E. (2002). Open Guided Inquiry Laboratory in Physics Teacher Education. Journal of Science Teacher Education, Journal of Science Teacher Education, September 2012. DOI: 10.1007/s10972-012-9316-x
Op’t Eynde, P., de Corte, E. & Verschaffel, L. (2003). Framing students’ mathematics-related beliefs: a quest for conceptual clarity and a comprehensive categorization. In G. C. Leder, E. Pehkonen & G. Törner (Eds.), Beliefs: a hidden variable in mathematics education? (pp. 13-37). Secaurus, NJ, USA: Kluwer Academic Publisher.
Op’t Eynde, P., de Corte, E. & Verschaffel, L. (2006). Epistemic dimensions of students’ mathematics-related belief systems. International Journal of Educational Research, 45, 57-70.
Pehkonen, E. (1994). On teachers’ beliefs and changing mathematics teaching. Journal für Mathematik-Didaktik, 15(3/4), 177-209. (Referred in Furinghetti & Pehkonen, 2003)
Ponte, J. P. (1994). Knowledge, beliefs and conceptions in mathematics teaching and learning. In L. Bazzini (Ed.), Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Systematic cooperation Between Theory and Practice in Mathematics Education (pp. 169-177). Pavia: ISDAF. (Referred in Furinghetti & Pehkonen, 2003)
Saari, H. (1983). Koulusaavutusten affektiiviset oheissaavutukset [Affective consequences of school achievements]. Institute for Educational Research. Publications 348. University of Jyväskylä, Finland. (Referred in Furinghetti & Pehkonen, 2003)
Schmidt, W. H., Blömeke, S. & Tatto, M. T. (2011). Teacher education matters: a study of middle school mathematics teacher preparation in six countries. New York: Teacher College Press.
Schoenfeld, A. H. (1992). Learning to think mathematically: Problem solving, metacognition, and sense-making in mathematics. In D. Grouws (Ed.), Handbook for Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning (pp. 334-370). New York: MacMillan.
Thompson, A. (1992). Teachers’ beliefs and conceptions: A synthesis of the research. In A. D. Grouws (Ed.), Handbook of research on mathematics learning and teaching (pp. 127-146). New York: Macmillan. (Referred in Furinghetti & Pehkonen, 2003)
Van Zoest, L. R., Jones, G. A. & Thornton, C. A. (1994). Beliefs about mathematics teaching held by pre-service teachers involved in a first grade mentorship program. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 6(1), 37-55.
Wengraf, T. (2001). Qualitative research interviewing: Semistructured, biographical, and narrative methods. London: Sage.

How to cite this article

APA

Viholainen, A., Asikainen, M., & Hirvonen, P. E. (2014). Mathematics Student Teachers’ Epistemological Beliefs about the Nature of Mathematics and the Goals of Mathematics Teaching and Learning in the Beginning of Their Studies. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 10(2), 159-171. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2014.1028a

Vancouver

Viholainen A, Asikainen M, Hirvonen PE. Mathematics Student Teachers’ Epistemological Beliefs about the Nature of Mathematics and the Goals of Mathematics Teaching and Learning in the Beginning of Their Studies. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2014;10(2):159-71. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2014.1028a

AMA

Viholainen A, Asikainen M, Hirvonen PE. Mathematics Student Teachers’ Epistemological Beliefs about the Nature of Mathematics and the Goals of Mathematics Teaching and Learning in the Beginning of Their Studies. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2014;10(2), 159-171. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2014.1028a

Chicago

Viholainen, Antti, Mervi Asikainen, and Pekka E. Hirvonen. "Mathematics Student Teachers’ Epistemological Beliefs about the Nature of Mathematics and the Goals of Mathematics Teaching and Learning in the Beginning of Their Studies". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2014 10 no. 2 (2014): 159-171. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2014.1028a

Harvard

Viholainen, A., Asikainen, M., and Hirvonen, P. E. (2014). Mathematics Student Teachers’ Epistemological Beliefs about the Nature of Mathematics and the Goals of Mathematics Teaching and Learning in the Beginning of Their Studies. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 10(2), pp. 159-171. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2014.1028a

MLA

Viholainen, Antti et al. "Mathematics Student Teachers’ Epistemological Beliefs about the Nature of Mathematics and the Goals of Mathematics Teaching and Learning in the Beginning of Their Studies". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 10, no. 2, 2014, pp. 159-171. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2014.1028a