Abstract
This study documents two case studies of in-service teachers whose reflective actions during teaching belonged to the effective category. Stratified sampling was used to select the in-service teachers whose reflective actions during teaching achieved effective reflection category in the first round of assessments. The sampled in-service teachers were jointly observed by two researchers whilst teaching high school mathematics classes in the second and third rounds of assessment visits to determine their teaching actions whilst enacting effective reflective actions. Classroom observations were followed by post lesson reflective interviews. The in-service teachers' effective reflective actions during teaching were noted as aligning learners' prior knowledge with activities to develop new concepts, sensitivity to learners' needs, using multiple pedagogical methods, and causing cognitive conflicts that facilitated learners' reflections on the solutions that they produced. These findings provide insight into theorising in-service teachers' reflective actions that informs reform on appropriate enactment of social constructivist strategies in mathematics classrooms.
Highlights
Background of the studyThe results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) gave rise to a constant search for ways of improving secondary school mathematics learners’ achievement throughout the world (Julie, 2004)
A criticism that is often levelled against absolutist methods is that they transmit inert mathematical knowledge that learners passively access in restricted contexts
Social constructivist reform encourages classroom environments that provide learners with opportunities to engage in dynamic mathematical activities that are grounded in rich problem-solving mathematical tasks (NCTM, 1991)
Summary
The results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) gave rise to a constant search for ways of improving secondary school mathematics learners’ achievement throughout the world (Julie, 2004). This search has given rise to raging debates on what pedagogical methods facilitate learner understanding and retention of mathematical knowledge. Passive learning of mathematical concepts has potential to limit learner applications of the concepts in a variety of contexts that are different from textbook questions This criticism has necessitated the advocating of problem-solving instructional reforms in many countries. Teaching in such classrooms encourages learner construction of mathematical knowledge through active cognitive and social engagements using the experiential world
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