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CURRENT RESEARCH

Anker 1

From deficits to strengths: Supporting teachers in learning to notice students’ mathematical strengths 

 

Research shows that teachers rely heavily on deficit-based framing, a way of thinking about students' mathematical thinking in terms of deficiencies, short-comings or failures. However, deficit-based framing is a barrier to improving students' mathematical learning and can be detrimental to the development of students' positive mathematical identities. Therefore, teachers need guided support to move productively from deficit-based framing to strengths-based framing in order to recognise students' mathematical strengths. This project explores how teachers learn to notice students' mathe-matical strengths by using critical reflection practices to support the co-construction of strengths-based framing and noticing practices.

Equity, diversity and inclusion in publishing mathematics education research 

 

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in publishing mathematics education research is vital, especially given the current under-representation of marginalised scholars. To create an equitable research environment, we need to promote EDI in this field of publishing. This project aims to develop evidence-based practices to promote EDI in international journals, increase global representation, and establish EDI publishing standards to elevate marginalised voices and ensure ethical publishing processes. (w/ Karin Brodie, Lisa Darragh, Anjum Halai, Núria Planas, Despina Potari, Manuel Santos-Trigo and Janet Walkoe)

Featured Publication

Scheiner, T. (2023). Shifting the ways prospective teachers frame and notice student mathematical thinking: from deficits to strengths. Educational Studies in Mathematics114(1), 35-62.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-023-10235-y

Featured Publication

Scheiner, T., Brodie, K., Planas, N., Darragh, L., Halai, A., Potari, D., Santos, M., & Walkoe, J. (2024). Addressing equity, diversity and inclusion in academic publishing: key initiatives from JMTE. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Educationhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-024-09636-4

Anker 2

Towards an ecological, cultural and interactional approach to studying teacher noticing

 

Previous approaches to the study of teacher noticing often construe noticing as a disembodied, purely mental form of seeing and position the teacher as separate or separable from the observing environment. They rely on information-processing models that adopt the common division between mind, body and matter and reinforce the dualism between the individual and the environment. This project works towards an ecological, cultural and interactional approach to the study of teacher noticing. Teacher noticing in this sense includes culturally and historically constituted ways of framing classroom events, embodied forms of accessing and exploring the world of the classroom, and actively shaping and interacting with the social and material structure of the classroom.

Featured Publication

Scheiner, T. (2021). Towards a more comprehensive model of teacher noticing. ZDM-Mathematics Education, 53(1), 85-94. 

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-020-01202-5

A synthesis of theoretical, methodo-logical and professional development perspectives of teacher noticing

 

Teacher noticing has become a prominent topic in teacher education and professional development; however, the current state of research is quite diverse, with different, unrelated theoretical underpinnings and a variety of research designs. This project involves systematic reviews of the literature on teacher noticing to map the areas of theoretical conceptualisations, methodological approaches and professional development of teacher noticing. The project identifies established and emerging theoretical perspectives on teacher noticing, common instruments for measuring teacher noticing, and design principles for video-based teacher learning programs. (w/ Gabriele Kaiser, Johannes König, Rossella Santagata and Xinrong Yang)

 

Featured Publication

König, J., Santagata, R., Scheiner, T., Adleff, A.-K., Yang, X., & Kaiser, G. (2022). Teacher noticing: A systematic literature review on conceptualizations, research designs, and findings on learning to notice. Educational Research Review, 36, 100453.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev. 2022.100453

Anker 3

Enabling critical mathematical thinking in classrooms

 

The capacity to use mathematics critically is essential for making prudent decisions and balanced judgements about economic, health, environmental and other challenges facing society. Developing critical mathematical thinking in the classroom provides students with the necessary skills to address complex real-world problems. However, fostering this kind of mathematical thinking is challenging and teaching practices for its development are under-researched and under-theorised. This study aims to provide new insights into classroom practices that support students’ critical mathematical thinking. To achieve this, we use an innovative video-based methodology that integrates researcher and teacher perspectives on students’ critical mathematical thinking. (w/ Vince Geiger, Kim Beswick, Jill Fielding, Gabriele Kaiser and Merrilyn Goos)

Theory building in mathematics education research 

 

Understanding the dynamics of theory building in mathematics education is crucial for researchers and practitioners. This project reviews the current state of theories in mathematics education research and provides a structured guide for researchers to develop and evaluate theoretical contributions in the field. The project also explores the possibilities that conflicts, tensions and paradoxes between accepted but opposing theoretical perspectives, theoretical traditions and paradigms offer for theory building in the field. In particular, the project explores how conflicts, tensions and paradoxes can best be used in highly contested areas of research such as conceptual change or the long-standing debate over cognitive versus situational perspectives. (w/ Marianna Bosch)

Featured Publication

Scheiner, T. (2020). Dealing with opposing theoretical perspectives: Knowledge in structures or knowledge in pieces? Educational Studies in Mathematics, 104(1), 127-145.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-020-09950-7

Anker 4

Trends in the study of mathematics teacher knowledge and instructional practices 

 

In recent decades, a considerable body of literature has emerged on the study of mathematics teacher knowledge and instructional practices. This research project focuses on trends in the conceptualisation, operationalisation and measurement of mathematics teacher knowledge and instructional practices and how the field currently construes the professional work of mathematics teachers. The aim of this research project is to identify the limitations of existing orientations and the emerging possibilities of alternative viewpoints that have profound implications for teacher education and professional development. (w/ Jose Carrillo, Juan Godino, Miguel Montes and Luis Pino-Fan) 

Featured Publication

Scheiner, T., Montes, M. A., Godino, J. D., Carrillo, J., & Pino-Fan, L. (2019). What makes mathematics teacher knowledge specialized? Offering alternative views. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education17(1), 153-172. 

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-017-9859-6 

Investigating epistemological, concep-tual and cognitive dimensions in mathematical learning 

 

This research project investigates the epistemological, conceptual and cognitive dimensions of mathematical learning. The focus is on three processes that students use in mathematical sense-making: contextualising, complementising and complexifying. New interpretive possibilities and theoretical hypotheses are generated and explored that inform research on mathematical learning and shed light on the three processes, recognising their importance in mathematical thinking and meaning-making. (w/ Marcia Pinto)

Featured Publication

Scheiner, T., & Pinto, M. M. F. (2019). Emerging perspectives in mathematical cognition: contextualizing, complemen-tizing, and complexifying. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 101(3), 357-372. 

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-019-9879-y

 

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