Exploring Students’ Views and Experiences in the Greek Primary and Lower Secondary Education Mathematics Class. Class Teachers versus Subject Teachers: Similar or Different?

Abstract

Foundation skills in mathematics seem to have a major impact on individuals’ life chances and they are provided in primary education (ISCED 1) whereas lower secondary education (ISCED 2) is designed to build on the learning outcomes of the primary level. The way mathematics is taught and learned seems to be influenced by a wide range of factors such as national policies and curricula, teachers and teacher education, the quality of teaching, etc. In this context, this paper discusses the results of a research carried out in 2015-2016 on first year students of lower secondary education so as to explore their views on and experiences towards teaching as is actually practiced in primary and lower secondary education while investigate the similarities and differences between the ways mathematics is taught in the Greek lower secondary education level in comparison to primary education.