ESH 250 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Mathematics Education, Numeracy

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Student Version

The philosophical position known as constructivism viewsknowledge as a human construction. The various perspectives withinconstructivism are based on the premise that knowledge is not partof an objective, external reality that is separate from theindividual. Instead, human knowledge, whether the bodies of contentin public disciplines (such as mathematics or sociology) orknowledge of the individual learner, is a human construction.

References:
Gredler, M. E. (2001). Learning and instruction: Theory intopractice (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Does knowledge exist outside of, or separate from, theindividual who knows? Constructivists hold that human knowledge,whether the bodies of content in public disciplines (such asmathematics or sociology) or knowledge of the individual learner,is a human construction (Gredler, 2001).

References:
Gredler, M. E. (2001). Learning and instruction: Theory intopractice (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Original Source Material

The technological tools available today for creatingcomputer-based learning materials are incredibly more powerful thanthose introduced just a few years ago. We can make our own movieswith camcorders in our homes; we can publish our own books. Soonteachers and students will be able to use computer-video technologyto produce their own learning materials. All it takes is time,know-how, and some funds.

References:
Frick, T. (1991). Restructuring education throughtechnology. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa EducationalFoundation.

Frick (1991) suggested that teachers and students would becapable of using computer-video technology to make learningresources. Furthermore, Frick's observation regarding tools forcreating learning materials that leverage computers that are a lotmore powerful than technology used just a few years back remainstrue over a decade later.

References:
Frick, T. (1991). Restructuring education throughtechnology. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa EducationalFoundation.

Original Source Material

Student Version

No matter how kindly voters treat the panderer in the votingbooth, the public overwhelmingly believes that candidates will sayone thing to get elected and then ignore their pledges once inoffice. This lack of sincerity, to the extent that happens, reducespublic confidence in government. Candidates should say what theybelieve. At the same time, the public should demand that candidatesspeak frankly and truthfully about issues of concern, and it mustunderstand that once a person is elected and looks at the fact inmuch greater detail, changes in attitude do and should occur.

References:
Simon, P. (2003). Our culture of pandering.Carbondale, IL:Southern Illinois University Press.

The relationship between voters and candidates is a complicatedone. For example, the vast majority of the public is convinced thatcandidates will promise anything to be elected and then pay noattention to their promises once elected (Simon, 2003). Such astate of affairs sets low expectations for those running foroffice.

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Student Version

Overall findings revealed that the technology skills ofpreservice teachers participating in this study were relativelylow, while providing a basis upon which to identify prerequisiteskills and instructional objectives for teaching technology skillsand integration practices. In planning experiences fortechnology-rich teacher education programs, curriculum designerscould consider some skills as prerequisite, such as wordprocessing, basic computer operation skills, e-mail, and skillsassociated with the World Wide Web.

Reference 1
Brush, T., Glazewski, K. D., & Hew, K. F. (2008). Developmentof an instrument to measure preservice teachers' technology skills,technology beliefs, and technology barriers. Computers in theSchools, 25(1), 112-125.

Original Source Material 2
With regard to factors that contribute to the teachers’ readiness,computer proficiency took priority. Basically, if teacher computerproficiency increases, the teachers’ feeling to be more ready tointegrate technology into instruction alsoincreases.

Reference 2
Inan, F. A., & Lowther, D. L. (2010). Factors affectingtechnology integration in K-12 classrooms: A path model.Educational Technology Research and Development,58(2), 137-154.

Low computer proficiency may negatively affect the use oftechnology in schools (Inan & Lowther, 2010) To addresspotentially low technology skills among preservice teachers,teacher educators could consider some skills as prerequisite, suchas word processing, basic computer operation skills, e-mail, andskills associated with the World Wide Web. However, this approachwould require instructional options for students who lack suchskills.

Original Source Material

Student Version

Educational processes and systems are complex, and any attemptto measure them, especially at this level of aggregation, can onlylead to broad and general discussions. However, we contend thatthis discussion is necessary. Further, attempting to measure globalprocesses in education may provide another puzzle piece totheoreticians as well as national and local policy-makers, who areworking at understanding and, in the latter case, steeringeducational systems.

References:
Rutkowski, L., & Rutkowski, D. (2009). Trends in TIMSSresponses over time: Evidence of global forces in education?Educational Research and Evaluation, 15(2), 137-152.

In attempting to study and direct the future of complexeducational systems, theoreticians and policy-makers may findaggregated measures of global processes in education useful despitelimitations that may be associated with these measures (Rutkowski& Rutkowski, 2009).

References:
Rutkowski, L., & Rutkowski, D. (2009). Trends in TIMSSresponses over time: Evidence of global forces in education?Educational Research and Evaluation, 15(2), 137-152.