Date of Completion

5-5-2020

Embargo Period

5-5-2020

Keywords

Mathematics education, Teacher education, Education abroad, Intercultural learning, Mathematics teacher identity, Equity

Major Advisor

David Moss

Associate Advisor

Douglas Kaufman

Associate Advisor

Megan Staples

Associate Advisor

Mary Truxaw

Associate Advisor

Michele Back

Field of Study

Curriculum and Instruction

Open Access

Open Access

Abstract

There is a long-standing issue in mathematics education regarding the support of equitable learning outcomes. As there has been significant attention from professional organizations, including NCTM and others, to address issues of access and equity within mathematics education, there has been an emphasis on creating mathematics classrooms that are responsive to students’ backgrounds, experiences, cultural perspectives, and traditions. However, in order to best meet these needs, we must prepare teachers that have a deep understanding of self, society, culture, and equity, which is no small challenge as it’s essentially calling for shifts in mathematics teachers’ identities. Experiential learning, in particular, education abroad, is a powerful approach that can help mathematics teachers rise to this charge. Given the literature, there appeared to be untapped potential for education abroad to influence the identities of preservice mathematics teachers in ways that they become more 1) culturally aware, 2) open-minded, and 3) aligned with a reform-minded approach to teaching the subject; however, little was known about this. As such, this research explores education abroad as a method to preparing mathematics teachers.

The purpose of this study was to describe and interpret a preservice mathematics teacher’s identity development during a semester-long education abroad program in England, particularly as it related to their sense of cultural perspectives, open-mindedness, and beliefs of mathematics teaching, and findings suggest that education abroad can positively influence these three aspects of identity. This study presents rich, descriptive qualitative data depicting the journey of a participant in a mathematics-focused education abroad program. Implications for mathematics teacher education include the strategic development of such content-focused programs targeted toward promoting reform-minded teachers.

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