Abstract:
This paper continues the author's research agenda introduced in 1994 to investigate teachers' beliefs about mathematics, mathematics learning and mathematics teaching. Focus is given to data collected in 1996 and 1997 which investigated the views of more than seven hundred primary and secondary mathematics teachers in the south western suburbs of Sydney and the North Coast of New South Wales towards the use of manipulatives in the learning and teaching of mathematics.
Current mathematics curriculum documents support the availability to and use of manipulatives by students and teachers in their learning and teaching of mathematics through all school years. This paper provides data on the current use of manipulatives in the surveyed primary and secondary schools and compares primary and secondary mathematics teachers' responses about their use of manipulatives in the learning and teaching of mathematics. Questions about the effect of differences in this use on the transition of students from primary to secondary schools will be addressed.
Current mathematics curriculum documents support the availability to and use of manipulatives by students and teachers in their learning and teaching of mathematics through all school years. This paper provides data on the current use of manipulatives in the surveyed primary and secondary schools and compares primary and secondary mathematics teachers' responses about their use of manipulatives in the learning and teaching of mathematics. Questions about the effect of differences in this use on the transition of students from primary to secondary schools will be addressed.