Learning to teach and assess mathematics using multimedia: A teacher development project

Herrington, A., Herrington, J., Sparrow, L. and Oliver, R. (1998) Learning to teach and assess mathematics using multimedia: A teacher development project. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 1 (1). pp. 89-112.

Abstract

The current reform agenda in mathematics education promotes the view that mathematics should be taught and assessed in a variety of meaningful and authentic ways. However, recent international research indicates that more limited, traditional approaches still dominate.

The difficulty in expanding teachers' practices may result from a lack of personal experiences with these new approaches. This article describes an interactive multimedia resource designed to provide experiences to develop preservice teachers' knowledge and practices for teaching and assessing mathematics in K-12 classrooms. The resource consists of two CD-ROM disks and written materials that enable student teachers to view video clips of strategies occurring in real classrooms, to hear the views of teachers and students in these classrooms, and to read advice from novice teachers and expert mathematics educators.

A description is given on how these materials were used with elementary and secondary preservice teachers enrolled in teacher education courses, as well as evidence on the influence of the resource on preservice teachers' school practice.