Researchers

• X. Jia MSc - PhD candidate
• prof.dr. F.J.J.M. Janssen - supervisor
• dr. M. Dam - c0-supervisor

Background

Over the last two decades, the Ministry of Education has carried out national curriculum reform (from ‘two Basics’ to ‘four dimensions’). However, in terms of mathematics curriculum, teachers experience difficulties implementing teaching innovation that is advocated by the reform in class. Especially in the light of cultural differences between Chinese and Western culture, it is important to investigate the ways and reasons of mathematics teachers in junior high school for implementing the reform. Information from this project may also benefit the Chinese Teacher Education Curriculum.

Goal systems: theoretical foundations

A person’s multiple goals are organized in a goal-means hierarchy (Lord et al, 2010; Kruglanski et al, 2015; Carver & Scheier, 2001). A goal system hierarchy represents what a teacher does and why she does it this way.

Research plan

We try to answer the following questions:

 1. How do Chinese teachers implement national mathematics curriculum reform in their classes? 

2. Why do Chinese teachers implement national mathematics curriculum reform in this way?

3. How to make Chinese mathematics curriculum reform practical for teachers?

To answer the research questions several experienced mathematics teachers’ goal systems of a representative lesson will be co-constructed. We will focus on  the ways and reasons of mathematics teachers in Chinese junior high school for implementing teaching innovation that is advocated by national mathematics curriculum reform. Furthermore we look into the relationship between a specific teacher’s goal system and her PCK (practical content knowledge). Data is collected using interviews.

• educational change
• mathematics education