Abstract
The goal of this conceptual paper is to develop enhanced understandings of mathematics teacher design and design capacity when interacting with digital curriculum resources. We argue that digital resources in particular offer incentives and increasing opportunities for mathematics teachers’ design, both individually and in collectives. Indeed they require increased design expertise because of the changing nature of the resources. Drawing on the literature (1) we suggest ten questions providing a tool to study teacher design processes; and (2) we propose three components for exploring teacher design capacity. Building on two main theoretical areas (i.e. teaching as design; documentational approach to didactics) we propose to deepen understandings of the notions of “teacher design” and “teacher design capacity”. Drawing on two different collective environments and two individual teacher cases working within these environments, we investigate and illustrate teachers’ design processes and design capacity building across a range of contexts and curriculum formations, with the focus on how digital resources can help to develop teacher design capacity. We claim that the evolutions of digital resources in particular require an elaboration and refinement of the concept of teacher design capacity, which we develop and illustrate. Indeed, interacting with digital resources, it is claimed, might be a fruitful vehicle for developing teachers’ design capacity, in particular when working in collectives.
Highlights
Much research in mathematics education has focused on teachers’ interactions with and use of curriculum resources (e.g., Pepin et al 2013; Remillard 2005; Remillard et al 2008)
Whilst previously teachers were typically seen as the ‘implementers’ of curriculum materials, which had been developed by professional curriculum designers and mathematicians, mathematics teachers have become ‘designers’, or act as ‘partners’ in the design of curriculum materials (Jones and Pepin 2016)
We claim that the evolutions of digital resources in particular require an elaboration and refinement of the concept of teacher design capacity, which we develop and illustrate, based on our findings from two different environments and studies
Summary
Much research in mathematics education has focused on teachers’ interactions with and use of curriculum resources (e.g., Pepin et al 2013; Remillard 2005; Remillard et al 2008). A shift from textbased to digital interactive school curriculum materials is providing teachers with more interactive materials, and has the potential to transform educational processes and bring about new educational dynamics (Pepin et al 2015). Little is known about the impact of such shifts on mathematics teachers’ work. Whilst previously teachers were typically seen as the ‘implementers’ of curriculum materials, which had been developed by professional curriculum designers and mathematicians, mathematics teachers have become ‘designers’, or act as ‘partners’ in the design of curriculum materials (Jones and Pepin 2016). It is recognized that when teachers interact with curriculum resources, they develop
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