Tatag Yuli Eko Siswono, Sugi Hartono, Ahmad Wachidul Kohar, Karim, Kurniawan
This article describes the beliefs, knowledge, and practice about mathematical problem solving of two teachers whose mathematics-related beliefs are aligned mostly with instrumentalist view, the most traditional philosophical views on mathematics-related beliefs. Data were obtained from a set of task-based interviews and lesson observation of such two teachers selected through a belief-related interview of twelve secondary mathematics teachers in Surabaya and Sidoarjo. Study findings suggest that there is consistency between the teachers’ beliefs, knowledge, and their teaching practice. The consistency was seemed on their insufficient knowledge about mathematical problem solving comprising content and pedagogical knowledge, which did not support their teaching practice. Also, we found that their instrumentalist beliefs drove the ways in which they structured class discussion during their practice. Despite both the teachers espoused their beliefs in different ways regarding the extend to which associate factors such as immediate classroom situation, teacher education program, and social teaching norms influenced their beliefs, they performed similar ways in their teaching practice, which was directive particularly when guiding their students in early stages of solving mathematical problems, i.e. understanding problem and devising plan. Copyright © 2019 by authors, all rights reserved.
Department of Mathematics Education, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia; Department of Mathematics Education, Universitas Lambung Mangkurat, Indonesia; Department of Mathematics Education, Universitas Mulawarman, Indonesia
