Cultural values and prospective teachers' beliefs about success in mathematics and in its teaching

• Published in: International journal of mathematical education in science and technology Vol. 54; no. 8; pp. 1681 - 1696
• Main Authors: Eichler, Andreas, Ferretti, Federica, Maffia, Andrea
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Taylor & Francis 14.09.2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Beliefs; cluster analysis; Cross Cultural Studies; cultural aspects; Cultural Context; Cultural factors; Cultural Influences; Cultural values; Culture; Elementary School Teachers; Foreign Countries; Learning Processes; Mathematics Achievement; Mathematics education; Mathematics Instruction; Mathematics teachers; Measures (Individuals); Preservice Teachers; prospective teachers; Resistance (Psychology); Social Values; Sociocultural Patterns; Student Attitudes; Teacher education; Teacher Education Programs; Teachers' beliefs; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Values; Italy; Germany
• ISSN: 0020-739X; 1464-5211
• DOI: 10.1080/0020739X.2023.2203159

International literature is increasingly disclosing the relevance of cultural aspects within the processes of teaching and learning mathematics. Knowledge is inextricably linked to the activities in which the subjects engage, and must be considered in relation to the socio-cultural context wherein the activity takes place. Literature reveals the relationship between the background culture (e.g. language, nationality, etc.) of prospective elementary teachers and their beliefs about mathematics and its teaching. In this paper, we define culture with reference to the wider discussion from cross-cultural psychology literature about cultural values, and we investigate if and how differences in individuals' cultural values are related to prospective teachers' beliefs about being successful in mathematics and in its teaching. We adopt a questionnaire from the studies by Schwartz to measure participants' values. We assign each prospective teacher of our sample to a cluster of beliefs and we analyse how the beliefs of prospective teachers are related to their values. Results show that cultural values and beliefs about mathematics are related, while this is not the case for beliefs about the teaching of this subject.