PRACTICES AND BELIEFS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MATHEMATICS EDUCATION IN STEAM ENVIRONMENTS.
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Abstract
The article presents eight research-based mathematics teaching practices, outlined by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) in "From Principles to Actions: Ensuring Mathematical Success for All" (2014). These practices focus on strengthening the teaching and learning of mathematics and encompass aspects such as setting goals, promoting reasoning, using mathematical representations, and obtaining evidence of students' thinking.
The article then explores the influence of teachers' beliefs on teaching practices. It describes how beliefs act as cognitive and affective filters, influencing the interpretation of knowledge and experience. The definition of beliefs is adopted as sustained psychological interpretations of the world that are held to be true. In addition, belief systems, which organize beliefs around specific ideas or objects, are discussed.
The text suggests that teachers' beliefs, deeply rooted and influenced by cultural factors, play a crucial role in their teaching practices. The complex relationship between beliefs and practices is highlighted, with some research suggesting that beliefs influence instructional decisions, while others indicate that practice can affect beliefs.
It delves into the beliefs of teachers in the context of mathematics teaching, highlighting two main orientations: constructivist orientation and transmission orientation. Teachers with constructivist beliefs hold that students should construct their own knowledge, while those with transmission beliefs see teaching as the transmission of knowledge. Teachers' beliefs about the nature of mathematics and students' mathematical thinking are also explored, showing how these beliefs impact instructional practices.
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