Skip to main content
Log in

Challenges associated with the professional development of didacticians

  • Commentary Paper
  • Published:
ZDM Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This commentary paper focuses on challenges associated with the professional development of a particular group of mathematics educators: mathematics educators who work in the field of teaching development with practicing teachers. This group is termed in this themed issue didacticians. The paper offers a conceptual framework for addressing the challenges associated with the professional development of didacticians, and uses the framework to comment on the collection of the papers in this themed issue.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adler, J., Ball, D. L., Krainer, K., Lin, F. L., & Novotna, J. (2005). Mirror images of an emerging field: Researching mathematics teacher education. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 60, 359–381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education. (2002). Continuing professional development for teachers of mathematics. London, UK: ACME, the Royal Society.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anthony, G., Hunter, R., & Thompson, Z. (2014). Learning about expansive learning: lessons from one teacher’s learning journey. ZDMThe International Journal on Mathematics Education, 46(2) (this issue). doi:10.1007/s11858-013-0553-z.

  • Ball, D. L., & Even, R. (2009). Strengthening practice in and research on the professional education and development of teachers of mathematics: next steps. In R. Even & D. L. Ball (Eds.), The professional education and development of teachers of mathematics: The 15th ICMI Study (pp. 255–260). New York, NY: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Barlow, A. T., Burroughs, E. A., Harmon, S. E., Sutton, J. T., & Yopp, D. A. (2014). Assessing views of coaching via a video-based tool. ZDMThe International Journal on Mathematics Education, 46(2) (this issue). doi:10.1007/s11858-013-0558-7.

  • Borko, H. (2004). Professional development and teacher learning: Mapping the terrain. Educational Researcher, 33(8), 3–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, P. F., & Malkus, N. N. (2014). The mathematical knowledge and beliefs of elementary mathematics specialist-coaches. ZDMThe International Journal on Mathematics Education, 46(2) (this issue). doi:10.1007/s11858-013-0559-6.

  • Coles, A. (2014). Mathematics teachers learning with video: the role, for the didactician, of a heightened listening. ZDMThe International Journal on Mathematics Education, 46(2) (this issue). doi:10.1007/s11858-013-0541-3.

  • Davenport, L. R., & Ebby, A. (2000, April). Teacher leadership development in mathematics education: Stories of three apprentices. Paper presented at the annual meeting of American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA.

  • Elliott, R. L. (2005, April). Professional development of professional developers: Using practice-based materials to foster an inquiring stance. In Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Education Research Association, Montreal, Canada.

  • Even, R. (1999). The development of teacher-leaders and in-service teacher educators. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 2, 3–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Even, R. (2005). Integrating knowledge and practice at MANOR in the development of providers of professional development for teachers. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 8(4), 343–357.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Even, R. (2008). Facing the challenge of educating educators to work with practicing mathematics teachers. In B. Jaworski & T. Wood (Eds.), The international handbook of mathematics teacher education: The mathematics teacher educator as a developing professional (pp. 57–73). Rotterdam, the Netherlands: Sense.

    Google Scholar 

  • Even, R., & Ball, D. L. (Eds.). (2009). The professional education and development of teachers of mathematics: The fifteenth ICMI Study. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Even, R., Robinson, N., & Carmeli, M. (2003). The work of providers of professional development for teachers of mathematics: two case studies of experienced practitioners. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 1(2), 227–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farah, I., & Jaworski, B. (Eds.). (2006). Partnerships in educational development. Oxford Studies in Comparative Education. Wallingford, England: Triangle Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gellert, U., Hernández, R. B., & Chapman, O. (2013). Research methods in mathematics teacher education. In M. A. (Ken) Clements, A. J. Bishop, C. Keitel, J. Kilpatrick, & F. K. S. Leung (Eds.), Third international handbook of mathematics education (pp. 327–360). New York: Springer.

  • Goodchild, S. (2007). Inside the outside: seeking evidence of didacticians’ learning by expansion. In B. Jaworski, A. B. Fuglestad, R. Bjuland, T. Breiteig, S. Goodchild, & B. Grevholm (Eds.), Learning communities in mathematics (pp. 189–203). Norway: Caspar Forlag AS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodchild, S. (2014). Mathematics teaching development: learning from developmental research in Norway. ZDMThe International Journal on Mathematics Education, 46(2) (this issue). doi:10.1007/s11858-013-0567-6.

  • Goos, M. (2014). Researcher-teacher relationships and models for teaching development in mathematics education. ZDMThe International Journal on Mathematics Education, 46(2) (this issue). doi:10.1007/s11858-013-0556-9.

  • Halai, A. (1998). Mentor, mentee, and mathematics: a story of professional development. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 1, 295–315.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Higgins, J. (2005). Pedagogy of facilitation: how do we best help teachers of mathematics with new practices? In H. L. Chick & J. L. Vincent (Eds.), Proceedings of the 29th conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 3, pp. 137–144). Melbourne: Psychology of Mathematics Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang, R., Su, H., & Xu, S. (2014). Developing teachers’ and teaching researchers’ professional competence in mathematics through Chinese Lesson Study. ZDMThe International Journal on Mathematics Education, 46(2) (this issue). doi:10.1007/s11858-013-0557-8.

  • Jaworski, B. (2001). Developing mathematics teaching: teachers, teacher educators, and researchers as co-learners. In F. L. Lin & T. J. Cooney (Eds.), Making sense of mathematics teacher education (pp. 295–320). Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Kluwer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Jaworski, B., & Wood, T. (Eds.) (2008). The international handbook of mathematics teacher education: The mathematics teacher educator as a developing professional. Rotterdam, the Netherlands: Sense.

  • Rowland, T., Turner, F., & Thwaites, A. (2014). Research into teacher knowledge: a stimulus for development in mathematics teacher education practice. ZDMThe International Journal on Mathematics Education, 46(2) (this issue). doi:10.1007/s11858-013-0564-9.

  • Sakonidis, C., & Potari, D. (2014). Mathematics teacher educators’/researchers’ collaboration with teachers as a context for professional learning. ZDMThe International Journal on Mathematics Education, 46(2) (this issue). doi:10.1007/s11858-014-0569-z.

  • Stein, M. K., Smith, M. S., & Silver, E. A. (1999). The development of professional developers: learning to assist teachers in new settings in new ways. Harvard Educational Review, 69(3), 237–269.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sztajn, P., Ball, D. L., & McMahon, T. (2005, May). And who teaches the mathematics teachers? Professional development of teacher developers. Contributed paper for an interactive work-session at the ICMI-15 Study conference on the professional education of mathematics teachers, Aguas de Lindoia, Brazil.

  • Sztajn, P., Holt Wilson, P., Edgington, C., & Myers, M. (2014). Mathematics professional development as design for boundary encounters. ZDMThe International Journal on Mathematics Education, 46(2) (this issue). doi:10.1007/s11858-013-0560-0.

  • Tirosh, D., Tsamir, P., Levenson, E., Barkai, R., & Tabach, M. (2014). Using video as a tool for promoting inquiry among preschool teachers and didacticians of mathematics. ZDMThe International Journal on Mathematics Education, 46(2) (this issue).doi: 10.1007/s11858-013-0563-x.

  • Tzur, R. (2001). Becoming a mathematics teacher-educator: conceptualizing the terrain through self-reflective analysis. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 4, 259–283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning and identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, S. M., & Berne, J. (1999). Teacher learning and the acquisition of professional knowledge: an examination of research on contemporary professional development. Review of Research in Education, 24, 173–209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoshida, M. (1999, April). Lesson Study [jugyokenkyu] in elementary school mathematics in Japan: A case study. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Montreal, Canada.

  • Zaslavsky, O., Chapman, O., & Leikin, R. (2003). Professional development in mathematics education: Trends and tasks. In A. J. Bishop, M. A. Clements, C. Keitel, J. Kilpatrick, & F. K. S. Leung (Eds.), Second international handbook of mathematics education (pp. 877–915). Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publisher.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Zaslavsky, O., & Leikin, R. (2004). Professional development of mathematics teacher educators: growth through practice. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 7(1), 5–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ruhama Even.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Even, R. Challenges associated with the professional development of didacticians. ZDM Mathematics Education 46, 329–333 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-014-0573-3

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-014-0573-3

Keywords

Navigation