Systems approaches to professional and decisional mathematics capital
Journal of Professional Capital and Community
ISSN: 2056-9548
Article publication date: 23 October 2020
Issue publication date: 11 January 2021
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore how the theories of professional capital and decisional capital can be extended to introduce “professional mathematics capital” and “decisional mathematics capital”.
Design/methodology/approach
Professional development (PD) efforts in one school district in elementary mathematics education are described to illustrate these extensions and to contemplate ways to enhance teacher learning of mathematics pedagogy.
Findings
Both theoretical extensions provided useful frameworks for conceptualizing mathematics PD. Preliminary evidence suggests that participants demonstrated the emergence of professional and decisional mathematics capital.
Research limitations/implications
While there were observed and reported changes to teacher practice, further research is needed to explore the implications of these theoretical extensions on student learning.
Originality/value
This study serves to enhance the literature related to PD and teachers' mathematical content knowledge. The theoretical extensions of professional and decisional mathematics capital are a novel and promising concept that allows for a unique approach to be laid out for those designing PD in mathematics.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Funding for this professional development was provided by the Mathematics Knowledge Network, Ministry of Education, Ontario Canada. This research was funded by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Grant (435-2014-1111) to the third author, Dr. Donna Kotsopoulos, Huron at Western, London, Canada.
Citation
Dickson, B., Mussio, C. and Kotsopoulos, D. (2021), "Systems approaches to professional and decisional mathematics capital", Journal of Professional Capital and Community, Vol. 6 No. 1, pp. 79-92. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPCC-11-2019-0030
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited