As Anghileri (2006) indicates, the way mathematics is taught has had to change. The main influence for this change has been the shift in what the 21st century society demands of its students. Previously, knowledge acquisition was viewed as the most important part of being a maths student, however in the 21st century, various skill sets and understanding is more desirable than reciting facts and figures, especially now that technology can recite fact and figures in more detail, faster and with more accuracy than humanly possible. There have been many contributing factors to the change in societal views of mathematics teaching, technology and increasing student disengagement ratio being just a few. However, the most prominent factor would be
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Thus according to behaviourists, learners are assumed passive and respond only to direct environmental stimuli, a processed known as conditioning. This is a stark contrast to constructivists, as they view learners as rational active participants in their own learning (Ertmer & Newby, 2013). Behaviourism focuses on the transference of knowledge, from teacher to student, the performance of the student and the response students have to consequences. These consequences, in the form of positive and negative reinforcement, are the main tools behaviourist teachers use in order to elicit appropriate behaviour and correct responses from their students. Punishment is used as a deterrent for undesirable behaviour and giving incorrect answers (Watson, 2013). Constructivists on the other hand, believe students create meanings and answers through experiences, rather than acquire it through knowledge transmission. Constructivists also use redirection to promote student re-engagement and scaffolding to assist students with learning, rather than the fear tactics used in behaviourism (Ertmer & Newby, 2013). Knowledge, according to behaviourists, is viewed as an entity that is transferred from the teacher into the student’s …show more content…
However, simply changing the curriculum is not enough to produce to desired results in students. The traditional role of the maths teacher, to provide information for the students to recite, is now obsolete, as children can find all the information they desire, and more, online. Therefore, the role of the teacher must be redefined. Today, a teacher’s main role is to facilitate learning by using a variety of pedagogical methods, in order to engage the students in their own learning. Teachers are able to accomplish this by moving away from the traditional behaviourist methods of mathematical teaching, where children were viewed as little more than empty vessels that required filling with facts and figures (Ciddor, 1998; Locke, 1689). A teacher plays a pivotal role in the success of their students, but as a teacher cannot learn for their students, it is vital that they focus on creating a positive environment, both physical and social, that enables students to participate in discussions and activities, interact with peers to share ideas and experiences, ask questions and challenge concepts to deepen understanding, at their own pace (DEECD, 2009; Scrivener, 2011). Engagement, as does
Thus according to behaviourists, learners are assumed passive and respond only to direct environmental stimuli, a processed known as conditioning. This is a stark contrast to constructivists, as they view learners as rational active participants in their own learning (Ertmer & Newby, 2013). Behaviourism focuses on the transference of knowledge, from teacher to student, the performance of the student and the response students have to consequences. These consequences, in the form of positive and negative reinforcement, are the main tools behaviourist teachers use in order to elicit appropriate behaviour and correct responses from their students. Punishment is used as a deterrent for undesirable behaviour and giving incorrect answers (Watson, 2013). Constructivists on the other hand, believe students create meanings and answers through experiences, rather than acquire it through knowledge transmission. Constructivists also use redirection to promote student re-engagement and scaffolding to assist students with learning, rather than the fear tactics used in behaviourism (Ertmer & Newby, 2013). Knowledge, according to behaviourists, is viewed as an entity that is transferred from the teacher into the student’s …show more content…
However, simply changing the curriculum is not enough to produce to desired results in students. The traditional role of the maths teacher, to provide information for the students to recite, is now obsolete, as children can find all the information they desire, and more, online. Therefore, the role of the teacher must be redefined. Today, a teacher’s main role is to facilitate learning by using a variety of pedagogical methods, in order to engage the students in their own learning. Teachers are able to accomplish this by moving away from the traditional behaviourist methods of mathematical teaching, where children were viewed as little more than empty vessels that required filling with facts and figures (Ciddor, 1998; Locke, 1689). A teacher plays a pivotal role in the success of their students, but as a teacher cannot learn for their students, it is vital that they focus on creating a positive environment, both physical and social, that enables students to participate in discussions and activities, interact with peers to share ideas and experiences, ask questions and challenge concepts to deepen understanding, at their own pace (DEECD, 2009; Scrivener, 2011). Engagement, as does