Original Research

Reflections on the role of a research task for teacher education in data handling in a Mathematical Literacy education course

Vera Frith, Robert Prince
Pythagoras | Issue 64 | a99 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/pythagoras.v0i64.99 | © 2006 Vera Frith, Robert Prince | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 20 October 2006 | Published: 20 October 2006

About the author(s)

Vera Frith, University of Cape Town, South Africa
Robert Prince, University of Cape Town, South Africa

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Abstract

The introduction of the subject “Mathematical Literacy” in the Further Education and Training band from 2006 has created an urgent need for large numbers of teachers to be educated about the nature of mathematical literacy and to become effective teachers of it. In this paper we report on an attempt to contribute to this goal through a curriculum component in an “Advanced Certificate in Education” course. This curriculum component on data handling was structured around a research task which required the teachers on the course to practise mathematical literacy  in a context where there is close linkage with other vital competencies, such as verbal reasoning, writing and computer literacy. This approach articulates well with the kind of teaching envisaged by the curriculum statement for “Mathematical Literacy”. We report on an initial analysis of the teachers’ reflections on their experience of the curriculum-embedded research task on this course, the manner in which this task contributed to their understanding of mathematical literacy as a practice and themselves as practitioners.

Keywords

Mathematical Literacy; teacher education; dta handling;

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1. Thinking styles of Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy learners: Implications for subject choice
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