Dempsey, Majella and O'Shea, Ann (2020) The role of task classification and design in curriculum making for preservice teachers of mathematics. The Curriculum Journal, 31 (3). pp. 436-453. ISSN 1469-3704

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Abstract

This paper reports on a research project undertaken with a group (n = 19) of Irish preservice student teachers (PSTs) during the third year of a five-year undergraduate education course. A series of workshops were carried out on the classification and design of mathematics tasks. The research is presented as a case study using mixed methods to gather data at three points, before the workshops, after the workshops, and two years later, when PSTs were in their final year. We argue that task classification and design are curriculum-making activities for mathematics teachers. Through critically classifying and designing mathematics tasks, PSTs developed skills of evaluating the cognitive demand of tasks and showed evidence of using these skills in curriculum making. Through using frameworks to classify tasks, the PSTs demonstrated a capacity to take a more critical role in curriculum making. Our data show that the development of skills in these areas has lasting effects on PSTs’ practices and willingness to engage meaningfully with the curriculum in mathematics. The research highlights the need for PSTs to work on evaluating and designing tasks. How frameworks can support and enhance PSTs’ capacity to make curricular decisions is evidenced.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is the postprint version of the published article, which is available at: Dempsey, M. and O’Shea, A. (2020), The role of task classification and design in curriculum making for preservice teachers of mathematics. The Curriculum Journal, 31: 436-453. https://doi.org/10.1002/curj.18
Keywords:	curriculum; frameworks; mathematics; tasks;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Mathematics and Statistics
Item ID:	15579
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1002/curj.18
Depositing User:	Dr. Ann O'Shea
Date Deposited:	24 Feb 2022 16:37
Journal or Publication Title:	The Curriculum Journal
Publisher:	Wiley
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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