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Prospective primary teachers’ shift in locus of control and pedagogy focus

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Abstract

This paper presents the findings of an empirical research project, designed with a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodology. Our goal was to apply Wiener attribution theory with a mathematics-specific pedagogical focus as a lens for analysing reflections. Our database consists of the prospective teachers’ reflections on self-performed lessons. Prospective teachers (N = 104) reflected on the mathematics lessons they performed. The first lesson was performed at the beginning of their teacher preparation programme and the second one at the end of the programme. A significantly larger number of participants exhibited predominantly internal locus of control regarding teaching situations at the end of the teacher preparation programme. Similarly, a significantly larger number of participants shifted their focus from general pedagogical aspects to the mathematics-specific pedagogical aspects of their teaching performance. Additionally, prospective teachers’ who exhibited predominantly internal locus of control reflected more often on the importance of pupil-centred approaches. Despite progress in observed elements, we still have some concern regarding the overall situation of teaching early mathematics.

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  1. Faculty of Education, University of Maribor, Koroška c. 160, 2000, Maribor, Slovenia

    Alenka Lipovec & Manja Podgoršek Mesarec

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  1. Alenka Lipovec
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  2. Manja Podgoršek Mesarec
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Correspondence to Alenka Lipovec.

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Lipovec, A., Podgoršek Mesarec, M. Prospective primary teachers’ shift in locus of control and pedagogy focus. J Math Teacher Educ 24, 361–373 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-020-09463-3

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