| dc.description.abstract | Adequate help from the teachers is required in order that the pupils reach the goals that
are laid down in the guidelines of the school. It is therefore necessary that they master a
mathematical theory relevant for their profession. This means that it must be possible
for the teachers to convey their mathematical knowledge in such a way that all pupils
learn and develop mathematical knowledge.
In order to communicate a mathematical content, the teachers choose suitable working
methods and forms. These choices are in turn dependent on the physical and
administrative frames of the school. Against this background, my research question is
the following: How do teachers organize the mathematical education and how do they
communicate a mathematical content to the pupils?
My method is based on a more modern version of the so-called frame factor theory,
where the focus is on the role of the teacher in the classroom situation. It is also based
on a theory that shows how the pupils develop their mathematical knowledge that is a
theory for mathematics education.
My empirical data consist of seven mathematics lessons from grades 4-9 in the compulsory
school. During these lessons all communication around the teacher was documented
with the help of a microphone fastened on the teacher. Two independent observers
registered all other activity during the classes. I have also analyzed the content of the
educational material that was used during the lessons. In order to give a correct framework
to their work, all teachers were interviewed before as well as after the classes.
On a macro level, I have studied the teachers’ choices of working method and form,
which I call the variable frames. As it turned out, the choices of such frames were often
less well chosen in relation to other frames and the goal of the education. In several
cases these frames even counteracted each other. This contributed to the fact that some
pupils did not get adequate instruction and help during the classes.
On a micro level, I noted that most teachers did not find out what pre-knowledge the
pupils had. Another observation was that they expressed the goals of the education in
terms of ”how to do” not ”how to understand”, something which was also mirrored in
their communication with the pupils. Furthermore, most of the teachers did not use an
adequate language with regard to the content of the education and the comprehension of
the pupils, which caused conflicts in their communication with the pupils. The result
was often that the teachers and the pupils talked passed each other, which confused the
pupils and caused them to stop working after half the lesson had passed.
By using methodical thinking when analyzing the teachers’ choice of frames and their
way of communicating a mathematical content, it is possible to understand parts of the
complex teaching situation in the school. This gives me an opportunity to explain
several of the problems that the pupils in the compulsory school have in learning
mathematics, according to recent evaluations. | en |
