Open Mathematical Education Notes

49--62

Authors: Daniel A. Romano

The goal of this paper is to present to the international academic community some specificity in mathematics education of the Republic of Srpska [RS] primary school teachers. The paper draws on some previously published texts on the mathematical and methodical literacy of the RS prospective primary school teachers. The observations on this segment of mathematical education in the RS are the final comments of the author within the project „Research of mathematical and pedagogical literacy of prospective primary school teachers” which is realized by the Scientific Society of Mathematicians Banja Luka. The author deeply believes that accepting these observations and assessments can be a very useful argument to our academic community in negotiating with the RS social-political community on rising the quality of mathematics education. With this commitment, the author has revealed several examples of failures in the education of prospective elementary school teachers in the following domains: (a) specific geometric knowledge necessary for teachers; (b) specific methodological-geometric knowledge necessary for teachers, and (c) understanding of the process of teaching and the process of student's learning of geometry. These omissions in mathematics education of elementary school teachers are the systemic failures and cannot be eliminated within the existing educational paradigm by stronger efforts of the teachers themselves according to the author’s deep belief.

9--28

Authors: Sergei Abramovich and Michael L. Connell

The content of this paper stems from an earlier inquiry into the use of computers in secondary mathematics teacher education. The advent of the modern day digital tools (such as Maple and Wolfram Alpha) capable of sophisticated symbolic computations calls for the revision of technology uses set forth in the early years of teaching mathematics through problem solving [26]. Nowadays, technology not only facilitates problem solving to the extent of making it just “easy”, but provides learning opportunities for deeper inquiries into seemingly sealed for non-professional mathematical investigations that require formal reasoning. The activities described in the article are connected to recent standards for teaching mathematics and recommendations for the preparation of teacher candidates published in the United States and elsewhere in the world. Through the suggested activities one can appreciate the integration of mathematical understanding, conceptual knowledge, procedural skills and technological competence.