MATHEMATICS TEACHERS’ BELIEFS TOWARDS COLLABORATIVE CONTEXT AND PRACTICES

Abstract

This study aims to explore the beliefs and practices of Pakistani elementary mathematics teachers towards collaborative learning. The present study has used an exploratory approach and provides a detailed understanding of the mathematics teachers’ belief-practice relationship towards collaborative learning (CL). A questionnaire was used to select four mathematics teachers who highly believed in the use of CL. Next, classroom observations of the selected teachers were recorded for a period of almost four months (ten recordings of each teacher).  Each teacher was observed against four different areas of collaborative learning; tasks, environment, discourse and evaluation. The analysis of the filmed data showed inconsistencies between the beliefs and practices of the selected mathematics teachers.  The results show that many factors other than teachers’ beliefs also influence on their teaching practices which are necessary to consider for productive interaction.