Multicultural Aspects of Mathematics Teacher Education Programmes

Abstract

Many societies around the world have become increasingly multicultural in nature in the past ten years and while theories of learning often propound the concept that mathematical ideas are grounded in the social and cultural background of students and teachers, the extent to which teacher education programmes have kept pace with this changing social milieu is often unknown. This paper discusses the situation in seven teacher education centres in New Zealand, and assesses the influences on whether, and how, multicultural perspectives on mathematics teaching have been introduced into these programmes.