Mathematics and Coding in Teacher Education
Abstract
Coding has been introduced into K through 12 curricula worldwide, yet most teachers lack firsthand experience with it, either as students or in their adult lives. For teachers to support student learning with coding, they must first gain experience and develop effective teaching approaches. Teacher education programs can play a role in this. This study investigates how preservice teachers’ perspectives on coding and teaching and learning mathematics evolved as a result of: (a) course experiences (activities, assignments, discussions, and reflections); and (b) mathematics and coding teaching experiences. The study was conducted over six years, with six cohorts of preservice teachers enrolled in a 36-hour course called “Computational Modelling in Mathematics and Science Education” in a Bachelor of Education program at an Ontario university. The 53 participants selected for this study opted to teach a mathematics and coding lesson as part of a final assignment in the course. The study employed a constructivist theoretical framework, qualitative research methods, and reflexive thematic analysis. Four preservice turning points were identified, which involved shifts in perspectives about teaching and learning mathematics and coding. These turning points were analyzed using the lenses of (a) Seymour Papert’s theory of constructionism, and (b) Yasmin Kafai and Quinn Burke’s computational participation framework. By translating the findings as recommendations for practice, the study presents a model for teacher education that provides insights for researchers and teacher educators.