Volume 5 - Number 2 - 2012 - What Are 14 Weeks Enough For? - The Efficiency of Teaching Mathematics at the Primary School and Kindergarten Teacher Training College

Oct 15, 2026

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The paper examines whether 14 teaching weeks are sufficient for future primary school and kindergarten teachers to acquire the mathematical knowledge needed to teach at an appropriate level. It analyzes comparative results from regular and distance learning third-year students in Romania amid a Bologna process–driven reduction in mathematics teaching time. The study is based on pre-test and post-test measures, including arithmetic and fractions-related performance.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Research

Research design

Results and discussion

Volume 5 Number 2, 2012 WHAT ARE 14 WEEKS ENOUGH FOR? THE EFFICIENCY OF TEACHING MATHEMATICS AT THE PRIMARY SCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN TEACHER TRAINING COLLEGE, THE SATU MARE DEPARTMENT OF BABEŞ-BOLYAI UNIVERSITY Tünde Baranyai Abstract: The number of mathematics and other major subjects to be taught at the Primary School and Kindergarten Teacher Training Colleges in Romania has decreased significantly since the implementation of the Bologna process in the higher education system. There are now only 14 weeks in which students could acquire all the knowledge that is necessary for them to be able to teach mathematics at an appropriate level. The present paper analyses the results of a comparative research done with the regular and distance learning third year students. Key words: didactics of mathematics, higher education, arithmetic 1. Introduction ‘We tend to forget that the classrooms consist of real children who expect from their teachers to show them the wonders of the world, without ever asking whether what is interesting is useful at the sametime. Our material world values our possessions much more than our deeds.’ (Dienes, 1999, 24) Although most of the students of the primary school and kindergarten teacher training college consider mathematics a difficult subject to teach, they will have to do that at both levels. We use mathematics in our everyday lives and one of its main characteristics is that it develops logical thinking and problem solving. (Olosz & Olosz, 1999; Pólya, 1971; Skemp, 2005) The number of mathematics classes has been significantly reduced since the adoption of the Bologna system. While in the first year of the college’s existence (1999 - 2000) there were 140 hours of mathematics in the curriculum, starting from the year 2005-2006 that number has decreased to 56. Starting with the year 2011-2012 the Satu Mare Department became part of the Teacher Training Institute from Cluj Napoca, together with other four departments (those from Cluj Napoca, Odorheiu Secuiesc, Târgu Mureş, Târgu Secuiesc) . The first task the Institute accomplished was to change the curriculum and replace the subjects of arithmetic and the methodology of teaching arithmetic with the new subjects of ‘mathematics and the teaching of mathematics in the kindergarten’ and ‘mathematics and the teaching of mathematics in primary school’, to be taught in the fifth and sixth semesters. That does not mean that there are more teaching hours of mathematics, nevertheless teaching it in two semesters may mean that its knowledge could be acquired more deeply. 2. Research Research design The main questions of the research concern the efficiency of the teaching of mathematics at the primary school and kindergarten teacher training college, as well as whether one semester consisting of 14 weeks is enough for acquiring the knowledge of mathematics. The research was based on the following hypotheses: 1. Students do not have the appropriate mathematical knowledge necessary for its teaching; 2. Time allotted in the curriculum for the teaching of mathematical knowledge is not enough for its acquisition; 3. Third year regular students do better at the post tests than third year distance learning students; 4. Significant improvement can be found with respect to the operation with fractions. The research population consisted of 28 students of the primary school and kindergarten teacher training college, out of which 18 were regular and 10 were distance learning students. Preliminary to the present research, we had measured the mathematical knowledge of the students in a previous one, done in October 2011, at the beginning of the school year. The present research is looking for the progress both regular and distance learning students have made as compared to the previously mentioned pre-test. Thus, the research consisted of a pre-test and a post test. The pre-test consisted of a questionnaire and a knowledge level measuring

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How was student progress measured?

The study used a pre-test and a post-test. The pre-test included a questionnaire and a knowledge level test, and the tests assessed operations order, solving operation strings with natural numbers and fractions, and fraction recognition from plane figures.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Putri