Matematikk 1 En kvalitativ tilnærming til Matematikk 1-kurset i allmennlærerutdanningen høsten 2005
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This master’s thesis concerns the compulsary mathematics course “Mathematics 1” for students of teacher education in primary and lower secondary schools. My intension has been to present qualitatively the experiences of four professors who have taught this course, and what reflections they have concerning the subject. In that sense the qualitative research interview has been a natural choice of methods. I have chosen a Grounded Theory approach as a tool to analyse my interviews. As a result of the use of Grounded Theory, two questions presented themselves: 1. What are the consequences for “Mathematics 1” in relation to the general organisation of teacher education for this age group? and 2. What is required in the field of mathematics to receive teacher certification for this age group? These questions led me to one core category: the qualifications of the teacher students in the field of mathematics. In light of this core category, I have analysed the statements of my informants regarding the mathematics qualifications of the teacher students before, during, and after “Mathematics 1”. My informants state that several students did not achieve sufficient teaching qualifications with only “Mathematics 1”. Several informants believe that this was due to the fact that the students were admitted to the course with insufficient skills in mathematics and were therefore unable to meet the demands of the curriculum for the course. My informants further reveal that the students’ lack of sufficient mathematical skills has been a challenge as far as the organization of “Mathematics 1” is concerned. Another problem has been the range required in teacher education to cover all levels of the primary and lower secondary schools in regard to the general teaching qualifications required for the teacher students. Since the development of the categories is based on the reports and views of four informants, these conclusions can’t be generalised. This master’s thesis is not meant to present statements that are valid in general, but rather to shed light on some features of “Mathematics 1” that perhaps can lead to new research questions within this field.
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PublisherThe University of Bergen
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