In this article, we investigate through case studies how mathematics student teachers view, justify and assess knowledge in the two domains, i.e. their epistemological beliefs. The article identifies areas that can prove a challenge for the students trying to consolidate knowledge in the two domains, and suggests development foci for teacher education.

In Finnish: Pedagogisen ja matemaattisen tiedon kohtaamisen haasteet matematiikan opettajankoulutuksessa. Tapaustutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin opettajaksi opiskelevien käsityksiä matemaattisesta ja pedagogisesta tiedosta, sekä heidän tiedon perusteluja ja tiedon arvioinnin keinoja, ts. epistemologisia uskomuksia. Artikkelissa hahmotetaan tietokäsitysten yhteensovittamisen haasteita ja tunnistetaan kehittämiskohteita opettajankoulutuksessa.

Original research article: Löfström, E. & Pursiainen, T. (Accepted, to appear 2016 with early online version end of 2014). Knowledge and knowing in mathematics and pedagogy: A case study of mathematics student teachers’ epistemological beliefs. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 22(1).

Abstract

This study focuses on mathematics student teachers’ epistemological beliefs in mathematics and education. The study aimed at gaining insight into the challenges that students experience in the consolidation of knowledge in the two disciplines. The case study with three mathematics pre-service teachers utilised mathematical and pedagogical problem-solving tasks, interviews and stimulated recall. The findings suggest that epistemologies are domain specific and that students may struggle with the consolidation of mathematical and pedagogical knowledge. We identified six aspects that can challenge consolidation: The students believed that pedagogical knowledge is highly relative; their knowledge of methods of inquiry in education was weak; they viewed theoretical pedagogical knowledge as unrelated to practice; they held formalistic beliefs about mathematics; they were performance-orientated in solving the mathematical problems; and they relied on authority rather than proof as a justification for mathematical knowledge.