Original Research
South African teachers’ conceptualisations of gradient: A study of historically disadvantaged teachers in an Advanced Certificate in Education programme
Pythagoras | Vol 32, No 1 | a25 |
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/pythagoras.v32i1.25
| © 2011 Vimolan Mudaly, Deborah Moore-Russo
| This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 16 August 2011 | Published: 15 September 2011
Submitted: 16 August 2011 | Published: 15 September 2011
About the author(s)
Vimolan Mudaly, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaDeborah Moore-Russo, Department of Learning and Instruction, Graduate School of Education, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, United States
Abstract
This study looked at how a group of South African secondary school mathematics teachers regarded the concept of gradient (slope). Results are reported from nine free-response items on a paper-and-pencil test administered to practising teachers who were pursuing qualifications to teach Grades 10–12 mathematics through an Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) programme. The findings suggest that teachers’ understanding of gradient varies greatly. A number of teachers in the study demonstrated very little to no understanding of this important concept, whilst others demonstrated a strong understanding of gradient and were able to conceptualise it in many different ways. Implications for teacher professional development are considered.
Keywords
slope; average rates; pedagogical content knowledge; common content knowledge
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