Mathematics Education of Pre-Service Teachers

As Reflected in Methods Course Syllabus

Authors

  • Leslie-Anne Unsworth Waterloo Region District School Board, Ontario, Canada https://sandbox.orcid.org/
  • Immaculate K. Namukasa Western University, Ontario, Canada
  • Kinful Aryee University of Western, Ontario, Canada
  • Donna Kotsopoulos Western University, Ontario, Canada

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14288/tci.v17i2.195968

Abstract

This study seeks to contribute a better understanding of what future pre-service teachers of mathematics learn in their mathematics methodology courses at the universities. Course syllabi from six countries were analyzed using the Mathematics Teacher Educator (MTEd) Instrument to examine the “ideal” curriculum trends in mathematics education courses of pre-service teachers. The MTEd identifies 11 research areas and these were our guiding theoretical and analytical frameworks. Each of the syllabi contained in the final syllabus data set (n = 31) were coded using the MTEd Instrument. Correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between category levels and overall levels assigned to each syllabus in elementary-only and secondary-only syllabi. Mann-Whitney U test was conducted between the elementary and secondary data sets. Findings from the study indicated that research related to the mathematics education of pre-service teachers was moderately represented in the course syllabi analyzed. Technology and assessment were the only two categories that were correlated to overall score. Recommendations for mathematics teacher education courses are offered.

Author Biographies

Leslie-Anne Unsworth , Waterloo Region District School Board, Ontario, Canada

Leslie-Anne Unsworth (formerly, Purdy) is an educator with the Waterloo Region District School Board in Ontario, Canada. She obtained her Bachelor’s of Arts and Business from the University of Waterloo, her Bachelor’s of Education from Wilfrid Laurier University, and her Master’s of Education from the University of Western Ontario.

Immaculate K. Namukasa, Western University, Ontario, Canada

Dr. Namukasa is an associate professor of the Faculty of education and distinguished teaching fellow with the Center for Teaching and Learning, 2017 to 2020 at Western University in Ontario, Canada. She obtained her Doctorate in Secondary Education at the University of Alberta.

Kinful Aryee, University of Western, Ontario, Canada

Dr. Kinful Aryee is an international school teaching educator and a research associate at Western University in Ontario, Canada. She obtained her Bachelor’s of Education in Science from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, West Africa, her Master’s and Doctorate in Curriculum Development and Pedagogy at Western University, Canada.

Donna Kotsopoulos, Western University, Ontario, Canada

Dean & Professor, Faculty of Education, Western University since January 2021.

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Published

2021-08-10