ERIC Number: EJ1415726
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1442-3901
EISSN: N/A
Conceptualisation of an Undergraduate Primary Mathematics Specialisation
Heather McMaster; Jennifer Way; Janette Bobis
Mathematics Teacher Education and Development, v26 n1 Article 2 2024
Over the past decade, there has been unprecedented regulation of initial teacher education (ITE). The objective of this study was to generate an in-depth understanding of the structural challenges faced by tertiary educators as they responded to a federal policy and a related state government policy in teacher education. The policies imposed on ITE reach through tertiary education providers and into school classrooms. To capture the three spaces of (1) policy makers, (2) tertiary education providers and (3) teacher education graduates, this study adopts a "socio-spatial approach" as both a conceptual organiser and an analytical stance. One specific case is detailed, namely one metropolitan university's establishment of a pathway enabling pre-service primary teachers to specialise in mathematics teaching. The study then follows two graduates into their first two years of teaching. The findings generated are potentially transferable to other contexts. We conclude that to reap the benefits of ITE policies, tertiary education providers and all employers of teachers need common expectations for their role in implementing these policies. Also, support for graduates needs to be sustained through liaising between tertiary education providers and employers.
Descriptors: Preservice Teacher Education, College Faculty, Policy Formation, Specialization, Barriers, Educational Policy, Teacher Education Programs, Preservice Teachers, Mathematics Instruction, Teacher Role, Elementary Education, Foreign Countries
Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia. GPO Box 2747, Adelaide SA 5001, Australia. Tel: +61-8-8363-0288; Fax: +61-8-8362-9288; e-mail: mted@merga.net.au; Web site: https://mted.merga.net.au/index.php/mted/index
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A