Relationships Between Opportunity to Learn Mathematics in Teacher Preparation and Graduates' Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics

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James Hiebert University of Delaware

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Dawn Berk University of Delaware

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Emily Miller West Chester University

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Heather Gallivan University of Northern Iowa

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Erin Meikle Duquesne University

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We investigated whether the mathematics studied in 2 content courses of an elementary teacher preparation program was retained and used by graduates when completing tasks measuring knowledge for teaching mathematics. Using a longitudinal design, we followed 2 cohorts of prospective teachers for 3 to 4 years after graduation. We assessed participants' knowledge by asking them to identify mathematics concepts underlying standard procedures, generate multiple solution strategies, and evaluate students' mathematical work. We administered parallel tasks for 3 mathematics topics studied in the program and one mathematics topic not studied in the program. When significant differences were found, participants always performed better on mathematics topics developed in the program than on the topic not addressed in the program. We discuss implications of these findings for mathematics teacher preparation.

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Contributor Notes

James Hiebert, School of Education, University of Delaware, 107 Willard Hall Education Building, Newark, DE 19716; hiebert@udel.edu

Dawn Berk, Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Delaware, 501 Ewing Hall, Newark, DE 19716; berk@udel.edu

Emily Miller, Department of Mathematics, West Chester University, 25 University Avenue, West Chester, PA 19383; emiller@wcupa.edu

Heather Gallivan, Department of Mathematics, University of Northern Iowa, 220 Wright Hall, 1227 West 27th Street, Cedar Falls, IA 50614; heather.gallivan@uni.edu

Erin Meikle, Duquesne University, 600 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15282; eem154@gmail.com

(Corresponding author is Hiebert hiebert@udel.edu)
(Corresponding author is Berk berk@udel.edu)
(Corresponding author is Miller emiller@wcupa.edu)
(Corresponding author is Gallivan heather.gallivan@uni.edu)
(Corresponding author is Meikle eem154@gmail.com)
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Journal for Research in Mathematics Education
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