• Initiative led by CMM of the University of Chile and funded by FONDEF, aims to help teachers, upon graduation, have the skills to teach mathematics in basic education. Pilot and research at 16 universities show a positive impact.
In order to improve preparedness to teach mathematics of elementary teachers, a multidisciplinary team led by the Center for Mathematical Modeling (CMM), University of Chile developed the first collection of texts and resources for Basic Education students.
Results of the use and impact of these texts – whose preliminary versions were tested for two semesters as a pilot by 5000 students from 16 universities- shows that positively impact up to 15% on the mathematical knowledge and pedagogical.
The project’s director, Salome Martinez, explained that “These texts emphasize mathematical knowledge for teaching. They promote deep understanding of school mathematics, knowledge of the curriculum, as well as difficulties faced by children in making mathematical tasks, the use of teaching resources, analysis of school activities, among others”, she said.
The four texts on Numbers, Algebra, Data and Chance, and Geometry are aligned with the “Guiding Standards for Initial Teacher Training” to evaluate for all pedagogic carreers graduates in Chile from 2011.
“We are very pleased with the pilot results – says Salomé Martínez- not only because its broad coverage and diversity achieved a very representative sample, but also because the accompanying process through evaluations, surveys and recordings of classes enable us now having conclusive evidence that will help us optimize the texts before their release, and by the other hand, that evidence is a powerful and unprecedented information abouth the teacher’s training in country and how we can improve together”, she said.
The results were presented in a seminar organized in conjunction with the Institutional Finance Department of the Ministry of Education, in charge of Performance Agreements. The director, Fernando Vial, stressed the importance of this experience to be replicated in other disciplines of training: “An important contribution of these books is that mathematical knowledge should not be dissociated from the specialty teaching. This is a very important element to consider in the training plans that are proposed in the Performance Agreements, as well as research that provides evidence on programs”, he said.
The initiative possible through funding from the Fund for the Promotion of Scientific and Technological (FONDEF), and is directed by the Center for Mathematical Modeling, University of Chile together with Pontificia Universidad Católica, and with support from Luksic Foundation, SM Editions, Ministry of Education and the Chilean Academy of Sciences.
Download presentations with results and evidences here
[alpine-phototile-for-flickr src=”set” uid=”89937484@N08″ sid=”72157634068531608″ imgl=”fancybox” size=”240″ style=”floor” row=”4″ num=”28″ align=”center” max=”100″ nocredit=”1″]More photos at our gallery.
