This study explores the relationship between university mathematics teachers' beliefs about the nature of reading mathematics and their practices regarding reading mathematics. It is a response to the calls for reform in mathematics education, particularly to the assertion made by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics in 1989 that not all students can read mathematical exposition effectively and that all students need instruction in how to read mathematics textbooks. It presupposes a collaboration between reading and mathematics teachers to help students learn to read mathematics. The objectives were (1) to examine mathematics teachers' beliefs and practices regarding reading, mathematics, and thereby, reading mathematics; (2) to determine whether the theoretical perspectives implicit in those beliefs and practices could be characterized vis-a-vis the theoretical orientations that inform Siegel, Borasi, and Smith's (1989) synthesis of mathematics and reading; and (3) to determine the relationship, if any, that exists between mathematics teachers' beliefs about reading mathematics and their practices regarding reading mathematics. The synthesis presents dichotomous views of both mathematics and reading: Mathematics is characterized as either a body of facts and techniques or a way of knowing; reading, as either a set of skills for extracting information from text, or a mode of learning. The latter view, in each case, can be characterized as constructivist. The researcher was a participant observer in a university sumner program. The primary participants were fourteen mathematics instructors. Interviews were conducted using a heuristic elicitation technique (Black & Metzger, 1969). Field notes were taken during observations of classroom activities and other non-academic summer program activities. The data were coded using a constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) comparative method. Twelve instructors held conceptions of reading that were consistent with their conceptions of mathematics. Of those twelve, two held conceptions that could be characterized as constructivist; ten held conceptions that were not constructivist. Two instructors held conceptions of reading that were not consistent with their conceptions of mathematics. Of those two, one held a constructivist conception of reading but not of mathematics; one held a constructivist conception of mathematics but not of reading. Teachers' practices reflected their theoretical orientations. The study has implications for teacher education: If teachers' beliefs are related to their practices, then teacher education programs should (1) acknowledge the teachers' existing beliefs and (2) address the theoretical orientations implicit in various aspects of pedagogy.

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Abstract not available

This research study has investigated the beliefs that prospective primary school teachers hold about the epistemology of mathematics, and the teaching and learning of mathematics. In particular, it considered the following questions: * What beliefs and attitudes about mathematics and mathematics education do first year primary school student teachers bring into their tertiary education? * Are any of the students' beliefs about mathematics and mathematics education similar to the beliefs of the teacher educators in mathematics education and how do students interact with first year mathematics education subjects in the teacher education course? * How do students' attitudes and beliefs influence their success in learning new mathematics at this stage of their lives? * How do students' beliefs and attitudes affect their ideas on good practice in the teaching of mathematics in the primary school? The research design was qualitative, using a case study investigation of 50 students in their first year of a teacher education course. The students' passage through the first year mathematics education subjects provided valuable insights into their beliefs, principally by means of interviews and open-ended questionnaires. The study was designed to have pedagogical outcomes for the students, by embedding the collection and interpretation of data in the teaching and learning of their course. My personal perspective throughout this research has been that mathematics is a socio¬cultural phenomenon, and that the learning of mathematics is achieved through the mediation of language, social interaction and culture. This perspective of mathematics and the learning of mathematics has influenced the choice of methodology and the research questions asked. Results indicated that students often held two or more philosophies of mathematics and moved between these philosophies, depending on context. Further, students generally considered that the characteristics of a good teacher included being supportive and enthusiastic. Good pedagogy was believed to incorporate practical activities demonstrating relevance, and providing 'fun' for pupils. However, an alarming result was that having higher order knowledge about mathematics was often seen by the students as being a disadvantage for a teacher, principally because students believed such teachers would be less empathetic to struggling pupils. These beliefs affected students' interactions with the first year university mathematics education subjects, as their beliefs about the importance of subject matter knowledge were at variance with the beliefs of the teacher educators. This dissonance led to devaluing of the mathematics education subjects by some of the students. The study has led to the conclusion that a number of the students' beliefs about mathematics, and the teaching and learning of mathematics, should not be left unchallenged. Those beliefs dealing with ideas on good pedagogy should be strengthened, while beliefs about the nature of mathematics and the value of subject matter knowledge should be made more transparent and addressed. On the other side of the coin, teacher educators need to acknowledge the differences in the beliefs that student teachers and teacher educators might hold, and to consider ways of making mathematics education courses more relevant and meaningful for students.

Mathematics is permeated with language; it appears in the form of new words and some old words with new meanings. There are new symbols to be able to read and consume; much information is presented in tabular or graphic form, and finally the language in a mathematics class has its own semantics, syntax and traditions of argumentation and expression. It is this language, used in the mathematics classroom, which students must absorb and develop fluency with--all while learning the mathematics expressed by this language. Traditionally, the language of mathematics has been overlooked in the classroom, as if students could learn it by just being exposed, rather than having explicit instruction. Numerous professional organizations have called for a focus on language in mathematics education, yet it appears that this important topic is overlooked in the classroom. This research project concentrated on developing a working definition of the language of mathematics and then, speculating that the reason teachers avoid teaching the language of mathematics, it developed the Language of Mathematics Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale (LoMTES), a measurement instrument to measure teacher perceived self-efficacy regarding the teaching of the language of mathematics. Bandura's socio-cognitive theory was the guiding force in developing this instrument. Bandura indicates that self-efficacy is predictive--that teachers with high perceived self-efficacy on a topic are generally capable of teaching it, while teachers with low perceived self-efficacy on a topic tend to skip over the topic or teach it in a minimal way. Self-efficacy, however, is a changeable construct; thus, this instrument could be used to identify teachers with low perceived self-efficacy regarding the teaching of the language of mathematics, which would enable the mathematics education community to explore possible interventions designed to improve student learning by improving teacher perceived self-efficacy. / Graduation date: 2004

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2006. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Jayne Downey. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 245-255).

Thesis (M.A.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Mathematics Education, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-82).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

Thesis (MEd) -- University of South Australia, 1993

This research study has investigated the beliefs that prospective primary school teachers hold about the epistemology of mathematics, and the teaching and learning of mathematics. In particular, it considered the following questions: * What beliefs and attitudes about mathematics and mathematics education do first year primary school student teachers bring into their tertiary education? * Are any of the students' beliefs about mathematics and mathematics education similar to the beliefs of the teacher educators in mathematics education and how do students interact with first year mathematics education subjects in the teacher education course? * How do students' attitudes and beliefs influence their success in learning new mathematics at this stage of their lives? * How do students' beliefs and attitudes affect their ideas on good practice in the teaching of mathematics in the primary school? The research design was qualitative, using a case study investigation of 50 students in their first year of a teacher education course. The students' passage through the first year mathematics education subjects provided valuable insights into their beliefs, principally by means of interviews and open-ended questionnaires. The study was designed to have pedagogical outcomes for the students, by embedding the collection and interpretation of data in the teaching and learning of their course. My personal perspective throughout this research has been that mathematics is a socio¬cultural phenomenon, and that the learning of mathematics is achieved through the mediation of language, social interaction and culture. This perspective of mathematics and the learning of mathematics has influenced the choice of methodology and the research questions asked. Results indicated that students often held two or more philosophies of mathematics and moved between these philosophies, depending on context. Further, students generally considered that the characteristics of a good teacher included being supportive and enthusiastic. Good pedagogy was believed to incorporate practical activities demonstrating relevance, and providing 'fun' for pupils. However, an alarming result was that having higher order knowledge about mathematics was often seen by the students as being a disadvantage for a teacher, principally because students believed such teachers would be less empathetic to struggling pupils. These beliefs affected students' interactions with the first year university mathematics education subjects, as their beliefs about the importance of subject matter knowledge were at variance with the beliefs of the teacher educators. This dissonance led to devaluing of the mathematics education subjects by some of the students. The study has led to the conclusion that a number of the students' beliefs about mathematics, and the teaching and learning of mathematics, should not be left unchallenged. Those beliefs dealing with ideas on good pedagogy should be strengthened, while beliefs about the nature of mathematics and the value of subject matter knowledge should be made more transparent and addressed. On the other side of the coin, teacher educators need to acknowledge the differences in the beliefs that student teachers and teacher educators might hold, and to consider ways of making mathematics education courses more relevant and meaningful for students.