Abstract
After a through review of the relevant literature in terms of textbook analysis and mathematics teachers' user of textbooks in school contexts, this paper reports on selected and early findings from a study of mathematics textbooks and their use in English, French and German mathematics classrooms at lower secondary level. The research reviewed in the literature section raises important questions about textbooks as representations of the curriculum and about their role as a link between curriculum and pedagogy. Teachers, in tunr, appear to exercise control over the curriculum as it is enacted by using texts in the service of their own perceptions of teaching and learning. The second and main part of the paper analyses the ways in which textbooks vary and are used by teachers in classroom contexts and how this influences the culture of the mathematics classroom. The findings of the research demonstrate that classroom cultures are shaped by at least two factors: teachers' pedagogic principles in their immediate school and classroom context; and a system's educational and cultural traditions as they develop over time. It is argued that mathematics classroom cultures need to be understood in terms of a wider cultural and systemic context, in order for shared understandings, principles and meanings to be established, whether for promotion of classroom reform or simply for developing a better understanding of this vital component of the mathematics education process.
Kurzreferat
Nach einer gründlichen Literaturübersicht berichtet dieser Artikel über die Ergebnisse einer Studie, die Mathematikschulbücher und ihren Gebrauch im Unterricht in England, Deutschland und Frankreich untersuchte. Die im ersten Teil des Artikels betrachtete Literatur wirft wichtige Fragen im Zusammenhang mit der Annahme auf, dass Schlbücher als Repräsentanten des Lehrplans angesehen werden können und angeblich eine Mittlerrolle zwischen Lehrplan und Unterrichtspraxis übernehmen. Im zweiten und Hauptteil wird untersucht, wie und in welcher Weise sich Schulbücher in den drei Ländern unterscheiden, wie sie von Lehrern im Unterricht benutzt werden und wie dies die ‘Kultur’ des Mathematikunterrichts beeinflusst. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass ‘Unterrichtskulturen’ von mindestens zwei Faktoren beeinflusst werden: von den pädagogischen Prinzipien und Überzeugungen der Mathematiklehrer in ihrer ‘hautnahen’ Schul-und Klassenzimmerungebung; und von den ‘Traditionen’ der jeweiligen Bildungssysteme und deren historischen Entwicklungen. Es wird argumentiert, dass die ‘Kulturen’ des Mathematikunterrichts im weiteren kulturellen und systemischen Rahmen verstanden werden müssen, sodass gemeinsames Verständnis, Prinzipien und Bedeutungen erarbeitet werden können, sei es für Reformen oder einfach um diesen wichtigen Prozess des Unterrichts besser zu verstehen.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Bibliography
Alexander, R. (1996) Other Primary Schools and Ours: Hazards of International Comparison.CREPE Occasional Papers University of Warwick: Centre for Research in Elementary and Primary Education.
Apple, M. (1979)Ideology and curriculum. Boston and London: Routledge & Kegan.
Apple, M.W. (1986).Teachers and Texts. A political economy of class and gender relations in education. New York: Routledge & Kegan.
Apple, M. (1989). The political economy of text publishing. In Castell, S., Luke, A., and Luke, C (eds) (1989)Language, Authority and Criticism. Readings on the School Textbook. London: Falmer Press.
Apple, M. (1992). The text and cultural politics.Educational Researcher 21 (7):4–11.
Bernstein, B. (1990)Class Codes and Control. Vol. IV: The structuring of pedagogic discourse. London: Routledge.
Bernstein, B. (1996).Pedagogy symbolic control and identity. London: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
Bierhoff, H (1996).Laying the Foundations of Numeracy: a Comparison of Textbooks in Britain. Germany and Switzerland. London: NIESR.
Bishop, A.L., Clements, K., Keitel, C., Kilpatrick, J., and Laborde, C. (eds) (1996)International Handbook of Mathematics Education. Dortrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Bishop, A.J. (1992). ‘Cultural Issues in the Intended, Implemented and Attained Mathematics Curriculum’, in G.C. Leder (ed)Assessment and Learning of Mathematics Hawthorn, Victoria: Australian Council for Educational Research, pp. 169–89.
Boaler, J. (1997)Experiencing school mathematics: Teaching styles, sex and setting. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Broadfoot, P. and Osborn, M. (1993)Perceptions of teaching London: Cassell.
Burgess, D. (1996) Education across the world: the Kassel Project Paper presented at conference “Lessons from abroad: Learning from international experience in education”, London
Burgess, R.G. (1984)In the Field: An Introduction to Field Research London: Allan & Unwin.
Castell, S., Luke, A., and Luke, C. (eds) (1989)Language, Authority and Criticism Reading on the School Textbook London: Falmer Press.
Chevellard, Y. (1985)La Transposition Didactique. Grenoble: La Pensve Sauvage
Christiansen, B., Howson, A.G. and Otte, M (eds) (1986)Perspectives on Mathematics Education. Dordrecht: D. Reidel.
Cockcroft, W.H. (1982)Mathematics counts: report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Teaching of Mathematics in Schools London: HMSO
Crismore, A (1989) Rhetorical Form, Selection and Use of Textbooks. In Castell, S, Luke, A, and Luke, C (eds)Languate Authority and Criticism. Readings on the School Textbook London:Falmer Press.
Dowling, P (1996) A sociological analysis of school mathematics texts.Educational Studies in Mathematics,31, pp. 389–415.
Dowling, P. (1998)The Sociology of Mathematics Education: Mathematical Myths/Pedagogic Texts. London: Falmer Press.
Dowling, P (1998)The Sociology of Mathematics Education: Mathematical Myths/Pedagogic Texts. London: Falmer Press.
Doyle, W. (1992) Curriculum and pedagogy. In P.W. Jackson (ed)Handbook of Research on Curriculum. New York: Macmillan.
Elbaz, F. (1983)Teacher thinking: a study of practical knowledge. New York: Nichols.
Ernest, P. (1991)The philosophy of mathematics education. London: The Falmer Press.
Freudenthal, H. (1986) Review of Chevellard, Y. ‘La Transposition Didactique’.Educational Studies in Mathematics 17 (4): 36–45.
Foxman, D. (1999)Mathematics textbooks across the world Slough: NFER.
Gilbert, R (1989) Text analysis and Ideology Critique of Curricular Content. In Castell, S, Luke, A, and Luke, C (eds)Language Authority and Criticism. Readings on the School Textbook. London: Falmer Press.
Grouws, D.A. (1992)Handbook of Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning. New York: Macmillan.
Hantrais, L. and Mangen, S. (1996) Cross-national research methods in social sciences. New York: Pinter
Harries, T. and Sutherland, R. (1998)A comparison of primary mathematics textbooks from five countries with particular focus on the treatment of number QCA Final Report.
HMI (1992)Mathematics Key Stages 1,2 and 3. A report by HM Inspectorate on the Second Year 1990–1991. London: HMSO.
Howson, G (1995)Mathematics textbooks: a comparative study of grade 8 textbooks. TIMSS, Pacific Educational Press, Vancouver
Jaworski, B. (1994)Investigating mathematics teaching: a constructivist enquiry. London: Falmer Press.
Johnsen, E.B. (1993)Textbooks in the Kaleidoscope. A critical Survey of Literature and Research on Educational Texts. Olso: Scandinavian University Press.
Johnson, D.A. and Rising, G.R. (1972)Guidelines for teaching mathematics. Belmont/California: Wadsworth.
Keitel, C., Otte, M. and Seeger, F. (1980).Text-Wissen-Tätigkeit: Das Schulbuch im Mathematikunterricht. Königstein/Ts: Scriptor.
Kuhs, T.M. and Freeman, D.J. (1979)The potential influence of textbooks on teachers' selection of content for elementary school mathematics. East Lansing, Michigan: Institute for Research on Teaching, Research Series48.
Lourenco, A and Neves, I.P. (1998) Syllabuses and textbooks: recontextualising the official pedagogic discourse. Paper presented at the ECER 1998, Ljubjana.
Love, E. and Pimm, D. (1996) ‘This is so’: a text on texts. In A.J. Bishop et al. (eds.)International Handbook of Mathematics Education. Dortrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Luke, C., de Castell, S. and Luke, A. (1989) Beyond criticism: the authority of the school textbook. In De Castell, S. et al. (eds)Language authority and criticism: readings on the school textbook. London: Falmer Press.
McEwan, H. and Bull, B. (1991) The pedagogic nature of subject matter knowledge.American Educational Research Journal 28 (2): 316–34.
Millett, A and Johnson, D.C. (1966) Solving teachers' problems?-the role of commercial mathematics scheme. In Johnson, D.C. and Millett, A. (1966) (eds)Implementing the mathematics National Curriculum policy, politics and practice. London: Paul Chapman.
Olson, D.R. (1989) On the language and authority of textbooks. In De Castell, S. et al (eds)Language authority and criticism: readings on the school textbook. London: Falmer Press.
Pepin, B (1997) Developing an understanding of mathematics teachers in England, France and Germany: an ethnographic study. Reading: Unpublished PhD thesis.
Pepin, B. (1999a) The influence of national cultural traditions on pedagogy: classroom practices in England, France and Germany. InLearners and Pedagogy, eds. J. Leach and B. Moon. London: Sage Publications
Pepin, B. (1999b) Epistemologies, beliefs and conceptions of mathematics teaching and learning: the theory, and what is manifested in mathematics teachers' practices in England, France and Germany. In Hudson, B., Buchberger, F., Kansanen, P. and Seel, H. (1999)Didaktik/Fachdidaktik as science(s) of the teaching profession. TNTEE Publications, Volume2 (1), pp. 127–46.
Pepin, B. (1999c) Mobility of mathematics teachers across England, France and Germany.European Educational Researcher, Volume5 (1), pp. 5–14.
Pimm, D. and Love, E. (eds) (1991)Teaching and learning school mathematics. London: Hodder & Stoughton in association with the Open University.
Planel, C. (1997) National Cultural Values and Their Role in Learning: a comparative ethnographic study of state primary schooling in England and France.Comparative Education,33, 3, pp. 349–373.
Schmidt, W.H., McKnight, C.C., Valverde, G.A., Houang, R.T., Wiley, D.E. (1997)Many visions, many aims-volume 1 (a cross-national investigation of curricular intentions in school mathematics), London: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Schmidt, W.H., et al. (1996)Characterizing Pedagogical Flow. An Investigation of Mathematics and Science Teaching in Six Countries. Dordrecht: Kluwer.
Schoenfeld, A.H. (1988) When good teaching leads to bad results: the disasters of ‘well-taught’ mathematics courses.Educational Psychologist 23 (2): 145–66.
Seeger, F., Voigt, J. and Waschesio, U. (eds) (1998)The culture of the mathematics classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Van Dormolen (1986) Textual Analysis. In Christiansen, B, Howson, A.G. and Otte, M (eds)Perspectives on Mathematics Education. Dordrecht: D. Reidel.
Warwick, D. and Osherson, S. (eds) (1973)Comparative Research Methods: an Overview. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.
Woods, P. (1996)Inside Schools Ethnography in Educational Research. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.