Conference paper
Numeracy Across the Curriculum in Initial Teacher Education
Proceedings of the 44th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia, pp.434-441
Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (MERGA), 44th (Launceston, Australia, 03-Jul-2022–07-Jul-2022)
Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (MERGA)
2022
Abstract
In Australia and Ireland, the school curriculum requires numeracy to be developed in all subjects. Initial teacher education standards similarly require that all graduates know and understand numeracy teaching strategies. This paper reports on a study that investigated pre-service secondary teachers' preparedness to teach for numeracy across the curriculum in Ireland. Analysis of questionnaire and interview data from participants in three universities showed they had largely superficial understanding of how to teach for numeracy in their subject specialisms and had experienced varied opportunities to learn about this aspect of teaching. The findings have implications for the design of courses in numeracy pedagogy for future teachers. The school curriculum in many countries identifies numeracy as a cross-curricular competence that should be developed in all subjects rather than only in mathematics (Alberta Education, 2019; Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], n.d.; National Council for Curriculum and Assessment [NCCA], 2021; Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training, 2012). To date, however, only limited research has investigated how to prepare and support teachers to recognise the numeracy demands and opportunities within the subjects they teach. Most of the available studies involving practising teachers (e.g., Bolstad, 2020; Goos et al., 2014; Liljedahl, 2015), and much less is known about how initial teacher education can help future teachers understand and implement strategies for developing their students' numeracy capabilities. This paper reports on a study that explored the perceptions and experiences of Irish pre-service secondary school teachers in relation to how well prepared they feel to teach for numeracy in subjects across the school curriculum. The findings of the study may have broader implications for the design of courses in numeracy pedagogy in initial teacher education programs.
Details
- Title
- Numeracy Across the Curriculum in Initial Teacher Education
- Authors
- Kathy O'Sullivan (Author) - Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of GalwayMerrilyn Goos (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Education and Tertiary Access
- Publication details
- Proceedings of the 44th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia, pp.434-441
- Conference details
- Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (MERGA), 44th (Launceston, Australia, 03-Jul-2022–07-Jul-2022)
- Publisher
- Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (MERGA)
- Date published
- 2022
- Copyright note
- 2022 Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia Inc. Reproduced here with the permission in accordance with the publisher's copyright policy.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Education and Tertiary Access; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99669898602621
- Output Type
- Conference paper
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