Uses and goals of mathematical tasks : an experiment with pre-service teachers

Abstract

Mathematical tasks can be used in teacher education for several purposes: to introduce mathematical ideas, to enhance mathematical understanding or to explore issues related to the pedagogy of mathematics, among others. In this paper we will describe a model to examine the use of mathematical tasks, in teacher education, proposed by Liljedahl, Chernoff and Zazkis (2007) and based on this model we will describe an experiment that went on with pre-service teachers. They were given a task to explore during their training sessions. They were then asked to adapt, try out and evaluate the task, with their students. We will discuss the way teachers dealt with the task during the training sessions, how the task was used in the classroom with children and then the reflection teachers made about the experience