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Developing primary pre-service teachers’ mathematical content knowledge: opportunities and influences

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Abstract

There is a consensus that we need to improve the quality of pre-service teacher education, and teachers’ mathematical content knowledge is critical for teaching. Identifying opportunities and influences that assist pre-service teachers to extend their mathematical content knowledge throughout their teacher education programme is important. This paper reports on qualitative data, collected over 4 years from two typical pre-service teachers whose developing mathematical content knowledge was investigated during their primary and secondary programme. These data were analysed and reported using the four dimensions of the Knowledge Quartet: foundation knowledge, transformation, connection and contingency. The results highlight the consequences of programme structure in order to help pre-service teachers to establish and sustain a positive mathematics learner identity, build teacher identity and develop mathematical content knowledge.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

    Sharyn Livy & Colleen Vale

  2. Deakin University, Warnambool, Australia

    Sandra Herbert

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  1. Sharyn Livy
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  2. Sandra Herbert
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  3. Colleen Vale
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Correspondence to Sharyn Livy.

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Livy, S., Herbert, S. & Vale, C. Developing primary pre-service teachers’ mathematical content knowledge: opportunities and influences. Math Ed Res J 31, 279–299 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-018-0252-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-018-0252-8

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