In this paper the notion of “mathematics profiles” and “instructional behaviour profiles is introduced. A brief explanation of what these profiles are and how they were constructed and represented for preservice mathematics teachers is provided. An example of one of the participants’ profiles is included as an example. The influence of the pre-service teachers’ mathematics profiles on their instructional behaviour is then discussed. This is done with regard to using the mathematics profiles as a potential tool to optimise the development of pre-service mathematics teachers’ instructional behaviour towards a more reform-oriented approach.

A study was undertaken to explore what constitutes instructional capacity in the teaching and learning of mathematics (TLM), with a focus on how schools (as institutions of teaching and learning) integrate resources for a particular configuration of capacity to promote high achievement levels of Grade 12 students in mathematics. Data were collected in ten public secondary schools, mostly in a disadvantaged context, in the Vhembe District in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study explores strategies for constructing, organising and replenishing instructional capacity in TLM. Five low- and five high-performing schools were selected, based on the pass rate in mathematics in high stakes examinations. The researcher observed lessons and interviewed ten Grade 12 mathematics teachers, ten principals, five curriculum advisors and a sample of forty Grade 12 mathematics students. The research revealed that the capacity to encourage the new curriculum reform practices in TLM within different schools is often inadequate, and largely fails to compensate for organisational effects and arrangements that shape the capacity to create quality instruction in mathematics. However, high-performing schools were somewhat ahead of low-performing schools in terms of encouraging reform-oriented teaching and learning in mathematics. Recommendations include: Principals should initiate the development and implementation of a school-based clinical supervision programme through collaborative decision-making to promote a sense of ownership by all mathematics teachers. Such a supervision programme would enhance commitment and ensure that all efforts are unified towards improving the quality of TLM. There is a need for the DoE in Limpopo Province to coordinate teacher professional development workshops, where effective practising mathematics teachers model how they teach mathematics in the classroom, while other teachers observe. Context-based strategies to enhance student outcomes in mathematics should be devised, such as modelling good practice by effective teachers in terms of: lesson preparation; subject knowledge; pedagogic approach; assessment and monitoring of classroom practice, including direct observation of teaching by HoDs and principals. It is proposed that attention to these issues, amongst others, would limit the impact of an unpromising context on student achievement levels in mathematics in high stakes examinations in the Vhembe District and elsewhere. / Mathematics Education / D. Phil. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T20:30:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 4291.pdf: 633055 bytes, checksum: c4dea2a6b9adac972c92be2074a6974a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-03-05 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / The learning of mathematics has been characterized by aversion due to several failures in trying to learn its contents. Besides the traditional difficulties of learning mathematics, such as dyscalculia and acalculia, possibly related to organic and developmental disorders, the international literature has highlighted a new field of research: the mathematics anxiety. A phenomenon characterized by a specific set of unpleasant physiological reactions as well as cognitive and behavioral components which occur in the presence of simple or complex mathematical stimuli and contingencies of learning mathematics, or in contexts that require the use of mathematical repertoires. In Brazil, however, there are few studies about the identification of different degrees of math anxiety in students with different educational levels. In the analyzes of this study it was observed that the distribution of student responses is a normal distribution, which allowed the testing of medium and correlational tests. In addition, we observed a Cronbach's alpha coefficient, with a value of 0.900, which indicates that the instrument used is consistent. Thus, this study had as first objective to identify different degrees of math anxiety in elementary school students Cycle II (6th to 9th grade) and High School (1st, 2nd and 3rd grade) - correlating the variables gender, age, grade, public and private schools. The second objective was to identify which items of the scale typically generated high levels of anxiety, listed by the students. In Spearman correlation analysis, the results indicated a significant difference between the variables period (p = 0.005 and r = 0.084) and education system (p = 0.001 and r = -0.104) and there was no significant correlation between total scores and the variables age (p = 0.188 and r = -0.040), gender (p = 0.178 and r = -0.040), grade (p = 0.282 and r = -0.032), educational level (p = 0.503 3 r = 0.020). In the Student s t test and Anova, the analysis indicated a significant difference between the average of students responses in the variable education system (p = 0.001) and period (p = 0.018). No significant differences in the variables: gender (p = 0.104), instructional level (p = 0.476), grade (p = 0.154), age (p = 0.064). The results of the chi-square test indicated that high levels of anxiety occurred in 12 out of 24 scale situations and these situations indicated punishment or not, which involves the teaching methodologies as well as the individual learning of mathematics. / A aprendizagem da matemática tem se caracterizado pela aversão gerada em alunos em função dos diversos fracassos na tentativa de aprender seu conteúdo. Afora dificuldades de aprendizagem como discalculia e acalculia, ligadas possivelmente a distúrbios orgânicos e de desenvolvimento, a literatura internacional tem destacado um campo novo de investigação: a ansiedade à matemática. O fenômeno se caracteriza por um conjunto específico de reações fisiológicas desagradáveis, cognitivas e comportamentais diante de estímulos matemáticos simples ou complexos e diante de contingências de aprendizagem de matemática, ou em contextos que requisitam o uso de repertórios matemáticos. No Brasil, contudo, há poucos estudos acerca da identificação de diferentes graus de ansiedade à matemática em estudantes nos diferentes níveis de ensino. Nas análises deste estudo foi observado que a distribuição das respostas dos alunos é uma distribuição normal, o que possibilitou a realização dos testes de média e testes correlacionais. Além disso, também foi observado o coeficiente do alpha de Cronbach, com um valor de 0,900, o que aponta que o instrumento utilizado é consistente. Assim, este estudo teve como primeiro objetivo identificar diferentes graus de ansiedade à matemática em estudantes do Ensino Fundamental do Ciclo II (6º ao 9º ano) e Ensino Médio (1º, 2º e 3º anos) quando comparados os indicadores gênero; idade; série, rede pública e particular de ensino. O segundo objetivo foi identificar quais itens da escala estavam relacionados a altos graus de ansiedade, apontados pelos alunos. Nas análises de Correlação de Spearman, os resultados indicaram que houve diferença significativa entre as variáveis período (p = 0,005 e r = 0,084) e rede de ensino (p = 0,001 e r = -0,104) e não houve significância de correlação entre os escores totais e as variáveis idade (p = 0,188 e r = -0,040); gênero (p = 0,178e r = -0,040); série (p = 0,282 e r = -0,032); nível de ensino (p = 0,503 3 r = 0,020). Nos testes t de Student e Anova, as análises indicaram diferença significativa entre as médias de respostas dos alunos na variável rede de ensino (p= 0,001) e período (p = 0,018). Não houve diferença significativa nas variáveis: gênero (p = 0,104); nível de ensino (p = 0,476); série (p = 0,154); idade (p = 0,064). Os resultados do teste qui-quadrado indicaram que altos graus de ansiedade ocorrem em 12 das 24 situações da escala e estas situações sinalizam ou não punição, o que pode estar relacionado às metodologias de ensino empregadas e à história individual de aprendizagem da matemática.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-27T19:13:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Lisie Pippi Reis Strapason.pdf: 15815936 bytes, checksum: acdbd264444719c7cb3c54be6fc19f80 (MD5) Lisie Pippi Reis Strapason.pdf.jpg: 3093 bytes, checksum: eb31814671a837cb2fa782245e5e80f5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-09-30 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This study aimed to find out whether the use of games as a teaching strategy to facilitate students learning concerning to the function concept and polynomial functions of the 1st and 2nd degrees. This research was accomplished with students in a class of 1 st year hight school that were applied in four games as a teaching and learning strategy. In the first game, was scheduled activities for the student to recognize the different representations of functions such as: writing; the numeric form, expressed through tables; visual, expressed by means of graphs; algebraic, represented by formulas; and using these differents representations to clarify the concept of function. In the second game, were developed different problem situations on polynomial function of the 1st degree. In the third game, was scheduled activities on the polynomial function of the 2nd degree and in the fourth game, were presented problem situations involving polynomial function of the 2nd degree in order to explore its properties. The research foccus is qualitative and the data analysis and interpretation of results were based on the theoretical and research objectives. The modality used for the research was the field search because data collection was carried out by the teacher and researcher through observations of students strategy during the games, noted in her field diary, and reports and work performed by them. From the results obtained we can concluded that the game was a good teaching strategy and facilitated the undestanding of the content worked. / Este trabalho teve como objetivo verificar se a utilização dos jogos como estratégia de ensino facilitou a aprendizagem dos alunos referente ao conceito de função e de funções polinomiais do 1º e do 2º graus. Esta pesquisa foi realizada com alunos de uma turma do 1º ano do Ensino Médio em que foram aplicados quatro jogos como estratégia de ensino e aprendizagem. No primeiro jogo, foram programadas atividades para o aluno reconhecer as diferentes representações de funções, tais como: a forma escrita; a forma numérica, expressa por meio de tabelas; visual, expressa por meio de gráficos; algébrica, representada por meio de fórmulas e que utilizasse essas diferentes representações para tornar mais claro o conceito de função. No segundo jogo, foram elaboradas diferentes situações-problema sobre a função polinomial de 1° grau. No terceiro jogo, foram programadas atividades sobre a função polinomial de 2º grau e, no quarto jogo, foram apresentadas situações-problema envolvendo a função polinomial do 2º grau com o propósito de explorar suas propriedades. A pesquisa teve uma abordagem qualitativa e a análise dos dados e a interpretação dos resultados foi embasada no referencial teórico e nos objetivos da pesquisa. A modalidade da pesquisa foi a de campo, pois a coleta de dados foi realizada pela professora e pesquisadora através das observações das estratégias dos alunos durante os jogos, anotadas em seu diário de campo, e dos trabalhos e relatos por eles realizados. Podemos concluir dos resultados obtidos que o jogo foi uma boa estratégia de ensino e facilitou a compreensão dos conteúdos trabalhados.

In this paper the notion of “mathematics profiles” and “instructional behaviour profiles is introduced. A brief explanation of what these profiles are and how they were constructed and represented for preservice mathematics teachers is provided. An example of one of the participants’ profiles is included as an example. The influence of the pre-service teachers’ mathematics profiles on their instructional behaviour is then discussed. This is done with regard to using the mathematics profiles as a potential tool to optimise the development of pre-service mathematics teachers’ instructional behaviour towards a more reform-oriented approach.

No description available.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This work is the product of an investigation that is part of the LP1: Research, Training, Knowledge and Professional Development Line of the Graduate Program in Education of the Federal University of Santa Maria / RS, focused on broadening the discussions in The initial training of teachers of mathematics and their first years of teaching. The aim of this research is to identify the constituent elements of the initial formation of teachers of mathematics that contribute to the first years of teaching, verifying the approximation and distances of the initial formation course and the reality experienced in the schools, through the gaze of the beginning teacher who teaches mathematics. The research theme came from the experience of the researcher as a teacher who teaches mathematics in her early years of teaching, given the emergence of problems, challenges, uncertainties and difficulties to be faced in the classroom, and that often the beginner teacher Is not prepared to face them. The theoretical references that base this writing that refer to the initial formation are Charlot (2000), Tardif (2002), Mizukami (2006), Imbérnon (2011), Vaillant; Garcia (2012), in the initial formation of teachers of mathematics are Ponte (1998), Moura (2001, 2002), Libâneo (2004), Lorenzato (2010), among others. In relation to the first years of teaching, the main references were Huberman (1992), Garcia (2009), Vaillant and Tardif (2002). For that, the investigation was carried out with teachers who teach mathematics in the state public network of the municipality of Ijuí / RS, the dialogue was recorded and occurred through semistructured interviews with seven teachers. Through their narratives we have been able to know them from the choice of the mathematics course, the first ones counted with the teaching in the initial formation and the entrance in the teaching career. With the transcribed dialogue the interpretation and understanding of the data was based on the narrative analysis of Galvão (2005) with the contribution of the hermeneutic experience, for understanding to happen, Gadamer (1997) argues that the interpreter moves from a projected meaning of the whole to the parts, and then returns to the whole, Called by the author of the hermeneutic circle, in this way the knowledge of the completeness of the text allows the interpreter to question between what is not familiar and what is being shared. The results allow us to share that the teachers understand that initial training is a necessary support for future practices, motivating and encouraging future teachers to think about mathematics teaching, however, during the training, there were difficult situations in the stages that marked The identity of these teachers. They concluded that the entry into the career was a moment of expectation but that feelings of insecurity, uncertainty, fears were greater and emphasized that the main deficiency in this initial period was in the organization of pedagogical practice and that the lack of support is Remarkable, end up resorting to experienced teachers. We conclude that the initial training course left some gaps strongly felt by the teachers at the beginning of the career, so they understand that the training course needs to provide more classroom practices, believe that they learn in practice, and could thus face with greater Clarity in classroom situations. / Este trabalho é produto de uma investigação que insere-se na LP1: Linha de Pesquisa Formação, Saberes e Desenvolvimento Profissional, do Programa de Pós-graduação em Educação da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria/RS, tem seu foco voltado a ampliação das discussões no âmbito da formação inicial de professores que ensinam matemática e seus primeiros anos de atuação docente. O objetivo desta pesquisa é identificar elementos constituintes da formação inicial de professores que ensinam matemática que contribuem para os primeiros anos da docência, verificando a aproximação e os distanciamentos do curso de formação inicial e a realidade vivenciada nas escolas, através do olhar do professor iniciante que ensina matemática. A temática da investigação surgiu a partir da vivência da pesquisadora como professora que ensina matemática em seus primeiros anos de atuação docente, visto o surgimento de problemas, desafios, incertezas e dificuldades a serem enfrentadas em sala de aula, e que muitas vezes o professor principiante não está preparado para enfrentá-los. O referenciais teóricos que embasaram esta escrita que referem-se a formação inicial são Charlot (2000), Tardif (2002), Mizukami (2006), Imbérnon (2011), Vaillant; Garcia (2012), na formação inicial de professores que ensinam matemática são Ponte (1998), Moura (2001; 2002), Libâneo (2004), Lorenzato (2010), dentre outros. Em relação aos primeiros anos de atuação docente os principais referenciais foram Huberman (1992), Garcia (2009), Vaillant e Tardif (2002). Para tanto, a investigação foi realizada com professores que ensinam matemática na rede pública estadual do município de Ijuí/RS, o diálogo foi gravado e ocorreu através de entrevistas semiestruturadas com sete professoras. Através das suas narrativas pudemos conhecê-las desde a escolha pelo curso de matemática, os primeiros contados com a docência na formação inicial e a entrada na carreira docente. Com o diálogo transcrito a interpretação e compreensão dos dados baseou-se na análise narrativa de Galvão (2005) com a contribuição da experiência hermenêutica, para que a compreensão aconteça, Gadamer (1997) argumenta que o intérprete se move de um significado projetado do todo para as partes, e então volta para o todo, denominado pelo autor de círculo hermenêutico, dessa forma o conhecimento da completude do texto permite que o intérprete questione entre aquilo que não lhe é familiar e o que está sendo compartilhado. Os resultados nos permitem compartilhar que as professoras entendem que a formação inicial é um suporte necessário para as futuras práticas, motivando e incentivando os futuros professores a pensar o ensino de matemática, no entanto, durante a formação, nos estágios houveram situações difíceis o que marcou a identidade dessas professoras. Completam que a entrada na carreira, foi um momento de expectativas, mas que os sentimentos de insegurança, incertezas, medos, foram maiores e enfatizaram que a principal deficiência, nesse período inicial, foi na organização da prática pedagógica e que a falta de apoio é notável, acabam recorrendo aos professores experientes. Concluímos que o curso de formação inicial deixou algumas lacunas fortemente sentidas pelas professoras na entrada na carreira, assim, elas entendem que o curso de formação precisa fornecer mais práticas em sala de aula, acreditam que aprendem na prática, sendo assim, poderiam enfrentar com maior clareza as situações em sala de aula.

MEd (Educational Management) / Department of Educational Management / The aim of the study was to investigate challenges confronting SMT members in the implementation of school-based moderation of Mathematics assessment tasks. An in-depth study of literature was undertaken, taking into consideration the following research question: What are the challenges confronting SMT members in the implementation of school-based moderation of Mathematics assessment tasks in the Thohoyandou cluster of the Limpopo Province? The study used the qualitative and quantitative approaches. Purposive sampling was used in the selection of participants for the qualitative data and simple random sampling was used in the selection of participants for the quatitative data. Qualitative data was collected through the interviews and quantitative data was collected through questionnaires. The interview schedule was employed to collect qualitative data and 12 participants (8 SMT members and 4 curriculum advisors for Mathematics in the Thohoyandou cluster) were interviewed. Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data and were completed by 75 Mathematics teachers. Qualitative data was analysed thematically and quantitative data was analysed through SPSS version 23. The study revealed that: Lack of understanding and knowledge of the process of school-based moderation of mathematics is a serious worm that needs to be addressed soon. Moderation of school-based assessment was not monitored appropriately. The study recommended that the Department of Basic Education should conduct workshops and train SMT members on the importance of school-based moderation to ensure quality teaching and learning of Mathematics.