Exploring Preservice Mathematics Teachers’ Perception of Mathematics Teacher through Communities of Practice

Authors

  • Hatice Akkoc Marmara University
  • Mehmet Ali Balkanlioglu
  • Sibel Yesildere-Imrie

Keywords:

preservice mathematics teachers, initial teacher training, communities of practice, perception of mathematics teacher, professional community of teachers

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the induction experiences of preservice mathematics teachers during their school placements through the lens of communities of practice. The main research question was concerned with how preservice mathematics teachers perceive what constitutes the practice of a professional community of mathematics teachers. A qualitative cross-sectional study was designed. Data collection consisted of face-to-face interviews and journals written by participants. Findings indicated that participants had valuable observations with regard to professional relationships among mathematics teachers such as openness to exchange of ideas and collaboration. Data also revealed how preservice teachers align themselves with norms and values of university and school cultures. In most cases, preservice teachers endorsed norms of teacher education programs e.g. they were critical about the traditional methods and the way technology were used in the partnership school. Their beliefs about the importance of confidence, strong subject knowledge and formative assessment are reinforced as a result of their observations in the partnership school.

Author Biography

Hatice Akkoc, Marmara University

Hatice Akkoç had a BSc degree in mathematics from Çukurova University, Turkey and an EdD degree in mathematics education from University of Warwick, UK. She is currently working as an associate professor in the department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Education, Ataturk Faculty of Education, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey. She has been teaching pure mathematics and mathematics education courses at undergraduate and graduate levels in mathematics education department. She has been supervising research students in the mathematics education program in the Institute of education in Marmara University.  She has been a vice dean in the same university since 2011. She is a member of International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (IGPME) since 2002 and British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics (BSRLM) since 2003. Her research interests are students' mathematical understanding, mathematics teacher education, technology use in mathematics teaching, technological pedagogical content knowledge, socio-cultural approach to teacher education.

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Published

2016-05-17

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 1 (2016)

Section

Articles