Marcel Klinger

Understanding how mathematics teachers change after disruption is essential for supporting long-term professional growth. With the COVID-19 pandemic as a case, this longitudinal study examines how secondary mathematics teachers in Flanders, Germany, and the Netherlands responded over time to this disruption in terms of teaching practices, teachers’ beliefs, and assessment practices. To explore which changes persisted, which reverted, and how teachers reflected on their experiences, data were collected through two large-scale surveys, conducted in June 2020 and June 2021. A total of 2,058 teachers completed the follow-up questionnaire. Concerning teaching practices, we found a significant increase in videoconferencing and the use of homemade video clips. Learning management systems became a central part of teaching practice. However, there was little change in the use of online learning environments, exercise platforms, and digital mathematics tools. Regarding teachers’ beliefs, teachers reported improved digital skills, particularly with tools they used frequently, such as videoconferencing. However, they reported only slight changes in their perceptions of effective mathematics teaching and limited confidence in the use of digital formative assessment tools. Assessment practices shifted toward more interactive formats, including live questions and chat, while reliance on email declined. Our findings suggest that the impact of the crisis extended beyond the initial period of school closure and that the longer-term picture is more complex than early responses indicated.

Zusammenfassung: Die Frage nach den Anforderungen in Abiturprüfungen in Mathematik wird immer wieder kontrovers diskutiert. Dabei stehen oft konkrete Aufgabenstellungen im Fokus. Mit der hier vorgelegten Studie möchten wir einen Beitrag leisten, diese Diskussion durch eine systematische Analyse von Abituraufgaben zu fundieren. Leitend ist dabei die Frage nach dem kognitiven Potenzial der Aufgaben mit Blick auf die allgemeinen mathematischen Kompetenzen, die tangierten Grundvorstellungen und die verwendeten technischen Hilfsmittel. Betrachtet wurden vierzehn Abituraufgaben mit 203 bewerteten Arbeitsaufträgen aus dem Aufgabenpool des Instituts für Qualitätsentwicklung im Bildungswesen (IQB), in dem exemplarische Abituraufgaben im Rahmen des Zentralabiturs als Orientierung öffentlich zur Verfügung stehen. Konkret wurden Analysis-Aufgaben aus den Jahren 2020 und 2021 in die Studie einbezogen. Für die Analyse wurde ein Kodiermanual auf der Grundlage des COACTIV-Manuals entwickelt und um Analysekriterien mit Blick auf die Mediennutzung ergänzt, das auch zukünftig als Instrument für Prozesse der Aufgaben- und Qualitätsentwicklung in der Sekundarstufe II genutzt werden kann. Als Ergebnis der Studie lässt sich ein generell niedriges Niveau hinsichtlich des kognitiven Potenzials in allen untersuchten allgemeinen mathematischen Kompetenzen wie dem Argumentieren, Problemlösen, Modellieren oder Kommunizieren (als Verfassen von Text) konstatieren. Auch Grundvorstellungen werden nur wenig durch die Aufgabenstellungen angesprochen. Es bestehen kaum Unterschiede zwischen den Aufgaben mit unterschiedlichen Hilfsmitteln (Computeralgebra (CAS) und wissenschaftlicher Taschenrechner), wobei gerade die Potenziale von CAS nur wenig ausgenutzt werden. Diese Ergebnisse werden diskutiert und in Hinblick auf eine Weiterentwicklung von Abituraufgaben eingeordnet.

In March 2020, many schools worldwide were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This closure confronted mathematics teachers with the challenging transition to emergency remote teaching (ERT). How did students experience ERT, and how did these experiences relate to context variables and to their teachers’ beliefs and practices? In particular, what didactic approaches and formative assessment practices did secondary mathematics students experience, and which beliefs did they hold concerning digital mathematics education? How were these student experiences and beliefs related to student context variables (gender, need to support family, personal home equipment), teacher beliefs, delivery modes, and student appreciation of mathematics? To investigate these issues, we set out online questionnaires for mathematics teachers and their students in Flanders—the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium—, Germany, and the Netherlands. Data consisted of completed questionnaires by 323 mathematics teachers and 2126 of their students. Results show that even though students preferred regular face-to-face teaching, they were content with the quality of their teachers’ distance mathematics teaching. Students reported that they were taught new topics often, but did not experience teachers initiating peer feedback. High student appreciation of mathematics, good home environment, and more synchronous delivery of ERT were related to ERT experiences and more positive beliefs concerning digital mathematics education. These findings have implications for ERT teaching strategies in future, as well as for hybrid teaching practices.

The COVID-19 pandemic has confronted mathematics teachers with the challenge of developing alternative teaching practices—in many cases at a distance through digital technology—because schools were closed. To investigate what distance practices in secondary mathematics education have emerged and how teachers experienced them, we set out online questionnaires in Flanders—the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium—, Germany, and the Netherlands. The questionnaire focused on teaching practices, teacher beliefs, didactics, and assessment. Data consisted of completed questionnaires by 1719 mathematics teachers. Results show that the use of video conferencing tools increased massively, while the use of mathematics-specific tools that teachers used before the lockdown reduced substantially. Further findings are that teachers' confidence in using digital technologies increased remarkably during the lockdown and that their experiences and beliefs only marginally impacted their distance learning practices. Also, we observed some differences between the three countries that might be explained by differences in educational policies and in technological facilities and support. For future research, it would be relevant to investigate long-term changes in teachers’ practices, as well as students’ views and experiences related to the teacher’s practices.