From Teacher of Nations to Teacher of Mathematics

Abstract

The article provides an overview of research focusing on pre- and in-service teacher education, conducted in the Czech Republic by teams of researchers of which the authors were members. It employs the methodology of a qualitative meta-analysis of studies aimed at distinguishing key areas of research and their main results. Twenty-one studies were analyzed, 11 of which targeted pre-service teachers and 10 in-service teachers. The article briefly describes the historical and cultural context that informs mathematics education in the Czech Republic. It also elaborates on key theoretical concepts shared by the studies analyzed, including teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge, competence and pedagogical reflection. The meta-analysis uncovered a common core of the studies in their focus on the process of professionalization for mathematics teachers in its three dimensions: professional vision, professional knowledge, and professional action. Six core research strands are identified within the group of studies: lesson study as a means of developing teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge; joint reflection; professional vision and its development; culture of problem solving and teacher development; problem posing to support subject-didactic competence and teachers’ competencies for content and language integrated learning and culturally responsive teaching. The article outlines the methodology and main results of the studies in each research strand and discusses their implications. Finally based on the meta-analysis, a discussion of the core concepts of teacher reflection, problem solving and problem posing is developed.