Survey Team Reports
The IPC has commissioned teams to survey developments and progress on important themes that have arisen in recent years. Each team will report their findings and recommendations at the Congress.
Survey Team 1: Mathematics Teacher Educator (MTE): How does one become an MTE around the world?
Coordinated by Ronnie Karsenty (Weizmann Institute, Israel).
Members of the team: Miguel Ribeiro (University of Campinas, Brazil), Yingkang Wu (East China Normal University, China), Michael Jarry-Shore (NC State University, College of Education, USA), Zaheera Jina Asvat (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa), Margaret Marshman (University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia), Lars Holzäpfel (University of Education Freiburg, Germany).
Over the past 25 years, research on Mathematics Teacher Educators (MTEs) has grown steadily, reflecting increasing recognition of the crucial role MTEs play in the continuous learning of both prospective and practicing mathematics teachers. Research has addressed topics such as the knowledge and skills required by MTEs, their evolving practices, and their professional learning and development. This survey focuses on various pathways of becoming MTEs, i.e., the circumstances under which professionals assume the role of MTE and how their trajectories may be characterized.
Existing literature already points to considerable differences among MTEs in terms of their backgrounds, responsibilities, educational settings and working conditions. However, these differences have not yet been systematically compared across diverse international contexts, and the current survey is a first step in this direction. Through the use of a questionnaire, as well as analyses of contemporary literature from a range of countries, the Survey Team aims to shed light on becoming MTEs in different places. The survey examines issues such as individual motivations for undertaking MTE roles, official vs. unofficial preparation for novice MTEs, identity formation, recognition and visibility, access to resources and channels of support.
Survey Team 2: Landscape of recruitment and retention of secondary mathematics teachers: Challenges and opportunities.
Coordinated by Ana Leticia Losano (University of Sorocaba, Brazil)
Members of the team: Jorge Daniel Mello-Román (National University of Concepción, Paraguay), Naomi Ingram (University of Otago, New Zealand), Rosalyn Hyde (University of Southampton, United Kingdom), Trena L. Wilkerson (Baylor University, USA)
One central factor in meeting the challenge of providing meaningful mathematics education for every child at school age is having an appropriate number of qualified secondary mathematics teachers. One area that impacts this goal is a growing shortage of well-qualified teachers. This is a growing problem in many countries, with similarities and differences within and across national contexts, raising international concern. Declining student enrolment in mathematics education programs and rising percentages of teachers who leave the profession have been associated with issues such as school working conditions, educational reforms, the low status of the teaching profession, and changing modes of initial teacher education, among others. On the other hand, many mathematics teachers continue their work and show high job satisfaction, developing professional identities to cope with difficult tasks, resilience to stress, and autonomy in school cultures that balance individual and institutional values. In this complex and contrasting landscape, diverse educational policies have been implemented worldwide with different impacts and results. This survey will examine research focused on the recruitment and retention of mathematics teachers, seeking to: a) build an overview of this issue in different countries; b) explore the factors and dimensions involved in recruiting and retaining mathematics teachers; and c) describe educational policies and promising practices implemented to address the issue and its impacts.
Survey Team 3: The links between research, practice and policies in mathematics education
Coordinated by Mark Boylan (Sheffield Institute of Education, United Kingdom)
Members of the team: Fiona Ell (University of Auckland, New Zealand), Paola Valero (Stockholm University, Sweden), Xingfeng Huang (Shanghai Normal University, China), Chaereen Han (Jeonju National University of Education, South Korea).
To be completed.
