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Learning about issues of equity in secondary mathematics teacher education programs

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Abstract

Understanding how mathematics preservice teachers (M-PSTs) learn about issues of equity is essential to addressing the inequities that persist in mathematics education. In this article, we use (Gutiérrez, in: Herbel-Eisenmann, Choppin, Wagner, Pimm (eds) Equity in discourse for mathematics education: theories, practices, and policies, Springer, New York, 2012a) aspects of equity (i.e., access, achievement, identity, and power) to describe the reported opportunities to learn about equity (Equity OTLs) in five purposefully chosen secondary mathematics teacher education programs. Data included interviews with M-PSTs and instructors from four types of courses—mathematics content, mathematics for teachers, mathematics education, and general education—in each program. The mathematics- and algebra-specific Equity OTLs were most frequently related to issues of access and achievement, whereas the Equity OTLs reported in general education courses were more often related to issues of power and identity. In addition, the two programs housed in universities with more diverse populations had a relatively greater reported emphasis on equity. Implications for teacher education and future research are discussed.

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Reproduced with permission from (Gutiérrez 2009, p. 6)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Associates in Arts Program, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA

    Alexia Mintos

  2. Department of Mathematics, Huntington University, Huntington, IN, USA

    Andrew J. Hoffman

  3. Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    Elizabeth Kersey & Jill Newton

  4. Department of Mathematics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    Dana Smith

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  1. Alexia Mintos
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  2. Andrew J. Hoffman
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  3. Elizabeth Kersey
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  4. Jill Newton
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Correspondence to Alexia Mintos.

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Preparing to Teach Algebra (PTA) is a collaborative project at Michigan State University and Purdue University funded through NSF’s REESE program (MSU 1109256, Sharon L. Senk, PI; Purdue 1109239, Jill Newton, PI, Yukiko Maeda, Co-PI). Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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Mintos, A., Hoffman, A.J., Kersey, E. et al. Learning about issues of equity in secondary mathematics teacher education programs. J Math Teacher Educ 22, 433–458 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-018-9398-2

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