This study examines gender differences of teachers on their mathematical knowledge for teaching in the context of single-sex classrooms in Saudi Arabia. A translated version of the Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) instrument (Learning Mathematics for Teaching [LMT], 2008) in Number and Operation Content Knowledge (CK) and Knowledge of Content and Student (KCS) scales were administered to 197 teachers (146 male and 51 female). Two-sample t test and multiple regression were conducted to compare the two groups and test the effect of teacher background variables. Female teachers significantly scored better than their male counterpart. Gender, years of teaching experience, and specialization significantly predicted teachers’ content knowledge, F(3, 187) = 13.180, explaining 41.8 % of the variance. Only gender and specialization significantly predicted teachers’ knowledge of content and student, F(2, 191) = 6.335, explaining 24.9 % of the variance. Further comparing items in the MKT instrument where female teachers outperformed male teachers confirmed that female teachers were better in attending to the content knowledge in the context of student’s learning.

The purpose of this study was to examine the adaptability of the US-based mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) geometry measures for use to study Indonesian elementary teachers’ MKT geometry. We selected the geometry scales Form A and Form B, and then adapted the items using a framework developed by Delaney et al. (J Math Teach Educ 11(3):171–197, 2008 ). We administrated the adapted learning mathematics for teaching measures to 210 elementary and middle school teachers. During translation and adaptation of the measures, issues arose regarding the mathematical substance of the items related to the use of inclusive and exclusive definitions of shapes. Psychometric analyses confirmed that these items were more difficult for the Indonesian elementary teachers compared to the US sample. Implications for future direction for item adaptation to measure Indonesia teachers’ MKT are presented.

This paper examines issues of translating and adapting an instrument that aims at measuring mathematical knowledge for teaching in Indonesia and Norway. The instrument was created for use in the U.S., and we discuss problematic and challenging issues of translation and adaptation. Two items from the released items pool were translated using a common framework modified from a previous study to exemplify critical issues that need to be resolved prior to using such instrument in another country. Themes identified in this study include a) minor challenges due to cultural differences; b) the use of technical language in schools; c) incommensurable contexts across countries; and d) the use of mathematical models.

This study examines the nature of cognitive empathy among prospective primary teachers, specifically in its relation to teaching of mathematics. Cognitive empathy is defined as the ability for deliberate intellectual perspective taking of another person in a teaching-learning situation. Using case studies, we identified prospective primary teachers in a methods course using a 2-by-2 matrix based on their cognitive empathy and mathematical knowledge for teaching. We found that although in general prospective teachers are empathetic in nature, most of them are able to relate to struggling students from an affective aspect, and rarely from a cognitive stance. Empathy is a trait that can be developed and deep mathematical understanding is a requisite in developing cognitive empathy.

This study examines Indonesian primary teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching geometry and what factors contribute to this knowledge. A translated and adapted version of the Learning Mathematics for Teaching measures and the Indonesian Educational Survey were used to gather information on teachers' knowledge for teaching geometry and their background information. Based on statistical analyses (ANOVA and multiple regression model) teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching differs by their educational attainment and grade range taught. Implications include capping the minimum education requirement to a four-year college degree and requiring teachers to teach several grade levels over a period of time.

This paper reports on an exploratory study investigating Indonesian elementary school leachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) geometry to determine factors that influence this particular knowledge. A survey was administered to 167 elementary school teachers to collect data on their educational background, and an adapted version of the U.S. based MKT instrument was used to measure subjects MKT. Analyses of variances on subjects' MKT revealed significantly differences based on the number of years of teaching Experience, educational level attained, school type, and grade range taught. A multiple regression model was developed and showed that educational level, school type, grade range taught were significant predictors of elementary teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching geometry.

This paper examines the mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) in Indonesia, specifically in school geometry content. A translated and adapted version of the MKT measures developed by the Learning Mathematics for Teaching (LMT) project was administered to 210 Indonesian primary and junior high teachers. Psychometric analyses revealed that items related to classification of quadrilaterals were difficult for these teachers. Further interactions with teachers in a professional development setting confirmed that teachers held a set of exclusive definitions of quadrilaterals. Introduction New direction on the study of teacher’s knowledge of mathematics has received tremendous attention since the Shulman’s (1986) seminal work of identifying pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) as the missing link in the knowledge teachers need to bridge between subject matter knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. Ball and her colleagues (2001) further refine our understanding of this knowledge by introducing mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) as a specialized knowledge of the content that is situated in the context of teaching (Figure 1). This construct underscores that the knowledge required for teaching is determined by the mathematical work of teaching (Ball, 1999). Four domains of mathematical knowledge are hypothesized in the U.S. construct of MKT: common content knowledge (CCK), specialized content knowledge (SCK), knowledge of content and students (KCS) and knowledge of content and teaching or KCT (Ball, Thames, & Phelps, 2008). Figure 1. Domains of Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (Ball, Thames, & Phelps, 2008, p. 403). Although this construct is developed based on U.S. based teaching practices, recent evidence suggests that it may translate to other cultures (Delaney, Ball, Hill, Schilling, & Zopf, 2008). However, despite commonalities in teaching practices, teaching is a cultural activity (Stigler & Hiebert, 1999), and thus, has to be approached with caution by taking into account differences that may impact understanding of particular topics. This study examined Indonesian elementary teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching specifically on school geometry and addressed the following research questions: