A Study on Teacher Knowledge Employing Hypothetical Teacher Tasks
Specialerapport. IND's studenterserie nr. 51. Matematik.
Camilla Margrethe Mattsson, september 2016.
Abstract
This thesis focus on teacher knowledge related to the theme of derivative functions in Danish high schools. First, it is clarified what the notion of teacher knowledge entail, within the Anthropological Theory of Didactics (ATD) and what principles of research this programme advocates. Secondly, a method involving the use of hypothetical teacher tasks (HTTs) for accessing and assessing teacher knowledge, which builds on the principles of ATD, is investigated. For this purpose, a subject matter didactical analysis of the theme of functions derivatives is performed and the mathematical theme, as it exists in Danish High schools, is investigated. Together, these analyses constitute the reference model of the study, upon which, five HTTs are designed and presented, along with an a priori analysis of each task.
These HTTs are employed in an empirical study, where the teacher knowledge of five teacher students and four high school teachers, related to the theme of derivative functions, is investigated. The data from the empirical study showed that the participants’ different teaching experience was not generally reflected in their performances. The capacity of the study does not allow for any conclusions as to why the participants’ various teaching experience is not reflected in their answers to the HTTs.