1,720,962 research outputs found
Mathematical knowledge for teaching geometric proof: Learning from teachers' practices
No full textInternational audienceThe aim of mathematics education courses in both undergraduate and post graduate programmes in Malawi is to improve teacher’s mathematical knowledge for teaching. Although the number of colleges and universities offering secondary mathematics education courses is increasing in Malawi, the quality of teaching has not improved to a greater extent (Government of Malawi, 2009). The capacity of the teachers to teach geometric proof in particular is still inadequate. The purpose of the study in progress, is to explore the knowledge that teachers require in order to teach geometric proof well in Malawian context. The initial findings of document analysis and the pilot study results will be presented in the poster
An exploration of challenges of engaging students in generative interaction with diagrams during geometric proving
No full textInternational audienceThis paper reports from a single qualitative case study which investigated challenges that might arise in a geometric proof lesson involving generative interaction with diagrams. Data consists of video recordings from a 120 minute lesson, taught with a focus on geometric proof in a Malawian grade 11 secondary school classroom. A post-lesson interview was also conducted with the teacher soon after the lesson. The findings indicate that the teacher faced challenge of lack of time, hence he did not complete some planned activities. The students faced the challenge of lack of understanding of the problem. As a result, they were unable to devise a correct plan during their initial involvement in the generative activity. The findings suggest that both the teacher's and students' challenges would have been avoided if problem solving was conducted appropriately
An examination of mathematical affordances available in grade 2 teachers' guide and learners' textbook on addition of whole numbers
No full textInternational audienceThis paper present findings from a textbook analysis which examined the structure and patterns of variation of addition examples presented in a grade 2 mathematics teachers' guide (TG) and learners' textbook (LT). Classification scheme for addition problems was used to analyse the structure of the examples, and Mathematics Discourse in Instruction framework for Textbooks was used to analyse their patterns of variation. The findings revealed that the example sets in the TG and LT afford development of additive reasoning as they contain different patterns of variation that might lead to higher levels of generality if teachers focus learners' attention to these. The examples however constrain development of additive reasoning as they comprise of only one structure with both addends given and require calculating the result. To decide a better professional development for teachers, it is necessary to study how teachers use these resources to plan and deliver mathematics lessons
Would female student teachers at primary teacher education colleges study mathematics were it optional?
Get PDFIn this this article we discuss findings from an investigation of whether female student teachers would choose to study mathematics if it were optional for primary teacher education in Malawi. A mixed methods research methodology was used to collect data through survey and focus group discussions (FGDs). Five hundred and twenty three female students from 6 public teacher education colleges completed a questionnaire, and 160 of them participated in FGDs. A descriptive statistical analysis was conducted on the quantitative data while a thematic analysis was conducted on the qualitative data. The findings show that 68% of female students would choose to study mathematics while 32% would not. This correlated with the students’ mathematics scores at the end of their secondary school national examination. Those students with high score passes opted for mathematics and those with low score passes did not, suggesting that performance at secondary school influenced their confidence in studying mathematics. Female student teachers’ reasons for choosing or not choosing mathematics were it optional are classified into 5 categories: the perceived usefulness of mathematics, inner motivation to study mathematics, the nature of the college mathematics content, how mathematics courses are taught at colleges, and gender stereotype in mathematics lessons. We discuss these in relation to the Malawian government’s agenda of increasing participation of females in mathematics, science, technology, and engineering
An examination of mathematical affordances available in grade 2 teachers' guide and learners' textbook on addition of whole numbers
No full textInternational audienceThis paper present findings from a textbook analysis which examined the structure and patterns of variation of addition examples presented in a grade 2 mathematics teachers' guide (TG) and learners' textbook (LT). Classification scheme for addition problems was used to analyse the structure of the examples, and Mathematics Discourse in Instruction framework for Textbooks was used to analyse their patterns of variation. The findings revealed that the example sets in the TG and LT afford development of additive reasoning as they contain different patterns of variation that might lead to higher levels of generality if teachers focus learners' attention to these. The examples however constrain development of additive reasoning as they comprise of only one structure with both addends given and require calculating the result. To decide a better professional development for teachers, it is necessary to study how teachers use these resources to plan and deliver mathematics lessons
Teacher learning about exemplification in geometry through lesson study
Get PDFWe explore aspects of Malawian teachers’ learning in their first encounter with Lesson Study (LS) professional development. Experienced secondary mathematics teachers from two schools participated in a theory-guided LS focused on geometry. Using data collected during the first LS cycle, we examined dimensions of variation of geometry examples made available, and changes in example sets. Findings show teachers’ take-up of two dimensions of variation in the initial lesson plan, with the third dimension coming into focus during lesson reflection. We argue that theory-guided LS can support teachers to strengthen their knowledge and use of example sets in geometry.This paper is based on postdoctoral fellowship work in the Wits Maths Connect Project at University of the Witwatersrand and in collaboration with the Faculty of Education at University of Malawi
Participation of female students in undergraduate Mathematics at the University of Malawi
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Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Participation of female students in undergraduate Mathematics at the University of Malawi
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