Advancing towards a Transformational Professional Competence Model through Reflective Learning and Sustainability: The Case of Mathematics Teacher Education

Abstract

The aim of this study was to begin to characterize the elements of teacher educators’ professional practice that promote the transformation of prior knowledge, experiences, and system beliefs into professional competence, based on reflective learning and education for sustainability. To obtain data, 30 class sessions of a mathematics education teacher were analyzed. Five elements of the lecturer’s practice were identified: (1) presents real action; (2) uncovers students’ values and preconceptions and considers them; (3) systematizes them and contrasts them with the ‘ideal’; (4) helps to understand the perspective offered by mathematical and sustainability concepts; (5) helps students develop the new perspective acquired through grounded and reasoned action plans. A key conclusion of the study is that it is prior knowledge, experiences, and beliefs which are transformed if the two agents involved in the learning process (pre-service teachers and university lecturers) are synchronized.