This edited volume presents cutting-edge research on the professional competence of early childhood mathematics teachers. It considers professional knowledge, motivational-affective dispositions, skills and performance in early childhood mathematics and outlines future fields of research in this area. The book argues that it is essential for early childhood teachers to prepare a high-quality learning environment and that mathematical competence is highly relevant for children’s individual development. Bringing together research from mathematics education, educational science and psychology, it integrates international perspectives and considers the contextual factors that affect the development of children’s mathematical competence within Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings. The book uses a model to describe professional teacher competence that considers the dispositions of early childhood teachers, situation-specific skills of early childhood teachers and the performance of early childhood teachers. The book is the first of its kind to give a comprehensive overview and allows for integrative perspectives and interdisciplinary understanding regarding pre- and in-service ECEC teachers’ professional competence in the domain of mathematics. It will be essential reading for academics, researchers and students of early childhood education, mathematics education and teacher education.

This work reports the findings of the Professional Competence of Teachers, Cognitively Activating Instruction, and Development of Students ́ Mathematical Literacy project (COACTIV). COACTIV applies a broad, innovative conceptualization of teacher competence to examine how mathematics teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, motivational orientations, and self-regulation skills influence their instructional practice and teaching outcomes In this project data was collected on various aspects of teacher competence and classroom instruction from the perspective of both the teachers themselves and their students. Moreover, it gauges the effects of these teacher characteristics on student learning, as indexed by the progress students in each class. Questions addressed in the study which are reported in this volume include: What are the characteristics of successful teaching? What distinguishes teachers who succeed in their profession? How can the quality of instruction be improved?

This open access book presents a structural model and an associated test instrument designed to provide a detailed analysis of professional competences for teaching mathematical modelling. The conceptualisation is based on the COACTIV model, which describes aspects, areas and facets of professional competences of teachers. The manual provides an overview of the essential teaching skills in application-related contexts and offers the tools needed to capture these aspects. It discusses the objectives and application areas of the instrument, as well as the development of the test. In addition, it describes the implementation and evaluates the quality and results of the structural equation analysis of the model. Teaching mathematical modelling is a cognitively challenging activity for (prospective) teachers. Thus, teacher education requires a detailed analysis of professional competence for teaching mathematical modelling. Measuring this competence requires theoretical models that accurately describe requirements placed upon teachers, as well as appropriate evaluation tools that adequately capture skills and abilities in this field. This book presents an instrument that measures the professional competences in a sample of 349 prospective teachers.

This edited volume presents cutting-edge research on the professional competence of early childhood mathematics teachers. It considers professional knowledge, motivational-affective dispositions, skills and performance in early childhood mathematics and outlines future fields of research in this area. The book argues that it is essential for early childhood teachers to prepare a high-quality learning environment and that mathematical competence is highly relevant for children's individual development. Bringing together research from mathematics education, educational science and psychology, it integrates international perspectives and considers the contextual factors that affect the development of children's mathematical competence within Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings. The book uses a model to describe professional teacher competence that considers the dispositions of early childhood teachers, situation-specific skills of early childhood teachers and the performance of early childhood teachers. The book is the first of its kind to give a comprehensive overview and allows for integrative perspectives and interdisciplinary understanding regarding pre- and in-service ECEC teachers' professional competence in the domain of mathematics. It will be essential reading for academics, researchers and students of early childhood education, mathematics education and teacher education. Chapters 5, 6 and 13 of this book are available for free in PDF format as Open Access from the individual product page at www.routledge.com. It has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

This book examines the various areas of mathematics education and neighboring disciplines that have recently contributed to a better understanding of the still vague construct of diagnostic competence. The work addresses the nature, development and effect of diagnostic competence in mathematics instruction, with a focus on the professional development of teachers.

In this book, 23 contributors offer new insights on key issues in mathematics education in early childhood.

Highly qualified and competent teachers are fundamental for equitable and effective education systems. Teachers today are facing higher and more complex expectations to help students reach their full potential and become valuable members of 21st century society. The nature and variety of these ...