Abstract:

We examine shifts in attention (Mason, 1998) of prospective teachers (PSTs) that emerged from their engagement with a computational modeling task focused on issues related to climate change. Research conducted with teachers who incorporate social justice issues into their mathematics teaching has highlighted tensions related to navigating between the social issue and the mathematical content (e.g., Bartell, 2013). Shifts in attention can be provoked by experiences of tension or disruption (Mason, 1998). We consider the research question: How can we understand the role of technology in influencing a prospective teacher’s attention during her exploration of interdisciplinary connections related to modelling climate change issues with mathematics?

We analyse PSTs engagement with a task focused on collecting and modelling climate-related data using the micro-controller, the BBC micro:bit©. The micro:bit is an electronic device that attaches to a computer and includes built-in and external sensors that allow users to collect and analyse real-world data such as temperature and soil moisture. Our objective for exploring climate issues through coding with micro:bit was to leverage the technology’s capacity to collect and model real-world data. We sought to provide accessible opportunities through coding to develop rich understandings and experience new pedagogies (e.g., Gadanidis, 2015), while also demonstrating best-practices for incorporating coding into mathematics learning (Gleasman & Kim, 2020).

Through our analyses, we traced three different pathways of attention, each of which was shaped by different awarenesses for teaching mathematics, computational modelling, and climate science. We suggest that examining PST’s pathways of attention can help provide valuable insight into the professional development experiences needed to foster awarenesses for teaching with interdisciplinary connections, and in particular, the use of technology for connecting mathematics learning to social justice issues in the real world.

References:
[1] Bartell, T. G. (2013). Learning to teach mathematics for social justice: Negotiating social justice and mathematical goals. J. Res.Math.Educ., 44(1), 129-163.
[2] Gadanidis, G. (2015) Coding as a Trojan Horse for Mathematics Education Reform. Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 34 (2), 155-173.
[3] Gleasman, C. & Kim, C. (2020). Pre-Service Teacher’s Use of Block-Based Programming and Computational Thinking to Teach Elementary Mathematics. DEME. 6(3), 52-90.
[4] Mason, J. (1998). Enabling Teachers to be Real Teachers: Necessary Levels of Awareness and Structure of Attention. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education. 1. 243-267.
[5] Videnovik, M., Zdravevski, E., Lameski, P. & Trajkovik, V. (2018). The BBC micro:bit in the international classroom: Learning experiences and first impressions. 17th International Conf. on Information Technology Based Higher Education and Training Olhao, pp.1-5.

Keywords:

Interdisciplinary learning, computational modelling, teacher education, mathematics education, teacher awareness, climate change.