Resumen de Mathematical knowledge of technology and design student teachers: diagnosis and remediation

Irene Teresa Bell, Ken Gibson

• This research examines how e-assessment and e-resources were used to assess and support the mathematics of Technology and Design students undertaking a B.Ed. (post-primary) teacher education course. The students participated in two similar tests in order to ascertain if their mathematical difficulties were in the underlying concepts of the mathematics entailed in their course or whether the use of realistic numerical values within the mathematical formulae commonly used within their teaching was causing difficulty. Test 1 was contextualised within Technology and Design using realistic numerical values while Test 2 examined the same mathematical concepts, required the same algorithmic work but used simple numerical values. The results of the research indicate that the majority of students performed better in the contextualised test. Further investigation revealed that the students' difficulties were not with mathematical concepts or algorithms but with the numerical calculations within the questions. However, the results have been impacted upon by the authors' decision to allow students to use a calculator for the test using the realistic numerical values. Post-test analysis of the students' work and discussion with them have led the authors to conclude that their difficulties were not solely conceptual or algorithmic in nature but included weak student performance in basic calculation. This article describes how this fundamental underlying area of numeracy that was causing concern was subsequently addressed through the development of an e-resource bank of relevant mathematical material.