Section archive - Professional Development

This paper investigates the relevance of actor-network theory to understanding teacher change in mathematics education by considering a single teacher change narrative. The article is centered on a veteran teacher of mathematics who participated in a teacher led, teacher-educator-supported professional development project. Three conceptual tools appropriated or adapted from actor network theory are used to describe and analyze features of this teacher narrative.

This paper reports on a study into how collaborative contexts influence the professional development of an early-career primary teacher, Julia. The authors describe the process of change by which Julia manages to make her planning to teach mathematics more flexible so as to adapt to student difficulties. Furthermore, the authors analyze the role that joint reflection plays in promoting this change.

The purpose of this study was to theoretically and empirically identify essential characteristics for a professional development program that promotes the acquisition of teachers’ competences involved in the implementation of an ASMaT module. A 3-step approach was used to identify the essential characteristics: (1) evidence produced in the classroom settings of the schools; (2) specific curriculum features of the ASMaT subject were taken into account; and (3) evidence generated by curriculum implementation literature pertaining to effective characteristics of implementing an innovation. Five characteristics were identified as essential characteristics that should be incorporated into a professional development program.

The current paper examines the design of a professional development model. The purpose of this model is to improve student achievement. The model has been designed by combining and supplementing elements from school-improvement literature and existing professional development models. The combined elements resulted in six aspects which incorporated in a new model which includes presentation of theory, demonstration of skills, practice in a secure environment, pre-conference, observation and post-conference.