Prospective Primary Teachers’ Didactic-Mathematical Knowledge in a Service-Learning Project for Inclusion

Abstract

An analysis of the didactic-mathematical knowledge put into play by a sample of 30 prospective primary teachers during their participation in a Service-Learning program focused on mathematical stimulation as a measure of attention to adolescents at risk of social exclusion is presented. The program aimed to respond to current training demands by promoting the development of mathematics-specific professional competencies, as well as social skills to interact with students, and to positively influence the prospective teachers’ affection towards mathematics and its teaching. It was developed during three academic years in two phases: the learning module was oriented to the presentation of the mathematical stimulus program and the didactical analysis of the STEAM activities knocking it into shape; in the service module, the participants implemented the activities in an educational center with students at risk of social exclusion. The analysis was carried out from the video recordings of the sessions, the future teachers’ written reports with the analysis of the activities, questionnaires on the didactic-mathematical knowledge and a satisfaction test. The results show difficulties on the part of the future teachers to analyze some of the activities of the program, which seems to have its origin in their poor command of the common knowledge of the mathematical content, which also limits them when it comes to managing the activities in the way expected for the stimulus program. All in all, participation in the program was positively assessed by them in relation to its usefulness for their training. The potential benefit of Service-Learning programs such as the one addressed here in the face of a positive impact on the affections towards mathematics is concluded, as a necessary step for a more effective acquisition of didactic-mathematical knowledge and skills in the initial training.