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Teacher Conceptions Matter: Exploring the Relationships Between Mathematics Teachers’ Conceptions and Commitment in China

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Abstract

This study investigated the relationships between primary school mathematics teachers’ conceptions of mathematics, conceptions of teaching and learning, and their commitment in the context of mainland China. A total of 847 primary school mathematics teachers participated in a paper-based questionnaire survey. The results indicated that these teachers’ fragmented mathematics conceptions are positively associated with their traditional conceptions of teaching and learning while being negatively related to their constructivist conceptions of teaching and learning. In contrast, teachers’ cohesive mathematics conceptions are positively associated with both traditional and constructivist conceptions of teaching and learning. Meanwhile, only constructivist conceptions of teaching and learning are positively related to teacher commitment. These results imply that there is a need to enhance cohesive mathematics conceptions and reduce fragmented mathematics conceptions among Chinese primary school teachers in order to foster their constructivist teaching and commitment to students.

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Funding

This work is supported by the General Research Fund of Hong Kong SAR under Grant Number CUHK 14618118.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Curriculum and Instruction, School of Educational Sciences, South China Normal University, Tianhe, Guangzhou, 510631, Guangdong, China

    Wei Lin & Wenlan Wang

  2. Shenzhen Institute of Educational Science Research, Shenzhen, China

    Wei Lin

  3. Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Faculty of Education, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

    Hongbiao Yin & Ching-Sing Chai

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  1. Wei Lin
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  2. Hongbiao Yin
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  4. Wenlan Wang
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Correspondence to Wenlan Wang.

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Lin, W., Yin, H., Chai, CS. et al. Teacher Conceptions Matter: Exploring the Relationships Between Mathematics Teachers’ Conceptions and Commitment in China. Asia-Pacific Edu Res 29, 581–592 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-020-00508-y

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