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OBJECTIVES

Rationale

Many training courses for teachers and student teachers throughout Europe recommend the use of constructivist teaching methodologies for the classroom. International research shows that teachers find it very difficult to change from their established transmissive ways of teaching. These transmissive methodologies cause the knowledge the pupils gain to be formal, that is, knowledge without understanding. They also separate mathematics from the real world. In Europe today we need students who can adapt to different situations, be flexible in their thinking and use their mathematical knowledge in the different situations.

All over Europe there are teachers who would wish to change their teaching approaches to constructivist ones because their experience would show that this will bring about the change in knowledge and attitudes alluded to above. The outcomes of this project will meet these training needs for the teachers. These teachers should then provide the stimulus, in their own countries, to persuade other teachers to change their teaching approaches. The project will be developed by a team from four different European countries whose ideas and experience will add to the European dimension of the project. Its aims are in complete coherence with current developments of mathematics teaching in several European countries

Aims and objectives

The aims of the project are to bring together teachers and teacher-trainers from different European countries to:

share experiences and ideas
exchange ideas of methodologies
work together to create material which will support constructivist approaches in mathematics.

The objectives of the project are to motivate teachers and teacher trainers from different European countries to improve their competencies in constructivist approaches by enabling them to:

experience these teaching approaches by showing or putting them into ‘classroom' situations during working through the products or attending a course
determine the changes to their role when applying these approaches and the necessary changes required of the pupils
record interesting experiences which occur during experimental teaching
evaluate repeatedly these records and the effect of the experiences on individuals and/or groups

Also to

provide them with material collected from the EU countries involved published in book form and CD-ROM, which will enable them to use constructive teaching approaches.
evaluate the effect of these approaches on the application and extension of knowledge, motivation and creation of a meaningful and enjoyable environment.
encourage the teachers and teacher-trainers to create linkages through Comenius across national boundaries to develop these approaches and share their ideas when they return to their classrooms.

Innovation

This project is different from most other mathematical projects in that it concentrates on the teaching approaches in mathematics rather than on mathematical content. The very latest results of research show that a student taught by transmissive methods gains very formal knowledge but that when he/she is taught through constructivist approaches then the student gains understanding of mathematics. The mathematical content of a course does not influence the type of knowledge gained by the student. The teaching approaches do influence the quality of knowledge gained by the student. Most training courses in Europe are not able to change the teaching practices of their student-teachers since the approaches by which they were taught are deeply embedded. The change can only take place by the teacher experiencing contructivist approaches themselves and appreciating the benefits of them. The teacher would then apply these methodologies in the classroom. This project would bring those necessary new experiences to the teacher.

Many teachers throughout Europe do not collaborate with each other in their school to develop a holistic approach to their teaching strategies. The project will allow the teachers to benefit from such collaboration including trans-national collaboration.

Pedagogical and Didactical Approaches

The whole project is devoted to new developments in pedagogical and didactical approaches.

The constructivist approach essentially sees the role of the teacher as supporting the student's learning. The teacher becomes the facilitator and the student is given greater responsibility for his/her own learning. The teacher has to prepare appropriate problems/tasks and materials which can be used for different ability levels and cognitive styles. One of the benefits gained from this project would be the identification of the specialist needs of different European countries for specific tasks.

Target Groups and Expected Impact

The main target groups for the project are all European primary school teachers, mathematics teachers in secondary schools and teacher -trainers of these age phases. The expected impact of the project on these groups will be the intellectual stimulus and benefits gained during the project's influence on the teaching strategies of the teacher by changing them to constructive approaches. This will impact on their pupils by helping them to understand their mathematics, to solve non-standard/life problems, gain enjoyment from their mathematics and wish to continue their mathematical studies beyond 16+.

In addition working with the project team will be collaborating teachers, that is teachers with whom the partners have worked in schools used by the Universities. They will possess good abilities in teaching and mathematical knowledge. The collaborating teachers will have the benefit of helping to develop and evaluate the Units and to use this knowledge for the benefit of their classes and colleagues within their schools. They will also have direct experience of working with and meeting colleagues from across Europe and the benefits that accrue from such collaboration.

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Charles University Prague, The Faculty of Education
Department of Mathematics and Mathematics Education