Encountering Algebra : A Comparative Study of Classrooms in Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the USA

"The book reports a comparative research project about algebra teaching and learning in four countries. Algebra is a central topic of learning across the world, and it is well-known that it represents a hurdle for many students. The book presents analyses built on extensive video-recordings of classrooms documenting the first introduction to symbolic algebra (students aged 12 to 14). While the content addressed in all classrooms is variables, expressions and equations, the teaching approaches are diverse. The chapters bring the reader into different algebra classrooms, discussing issues such as mathematization and social norms, the role of mediating tools and designed examples, and teacher beliefs. By comparing classrooms, new insights are generated about how students understand the algebraic content, how teachers instruct, and how both parties deal with difficulties in learning elementary algebra. The book also describes a research methodology using video in search of taken-for-granted aspects of algebra lessons."--Publisher's description Front Matter ....Pages i-x School Algebra (Cecilia Kilhamn, Ann-Sofi Röj-Lindberg, Ole Björkqvist)....Pages 1-11 Researching Classrooms in Search of Learning: Theoretical and Methodological Considerations (Roger Säljö, Maria Luiza Cestari)....Pages 13-21 The VIDEOMAT Project: Theoretical Considerations and Methodological Procedures (Roger Säljö)....Pages 23-32 Participation and Mathematization in Introductory Algebra Classrooms: The Case of Sweden (Cecilia Kilhamn, Thomas Hillman, Roger Säljö)....Pages 33-69 Designed Examples as Mediating Tools: Introductory Algebra in Two Norwegian Grade 8 Classrooms (Unni Wathne, Jorunn Reinhardtsen, Hans Erik Borgersen, Maria Luiza Cestari)....Pages 71-109 Learning to Solve Equations in Three Swedish-Speaking Classrooms in Finland (Ann-Sofi Röj-Lindberg, Anna-Maija Partanen)....Pages 111-138 How Teachers Introduce Algebra and How It Might Affect Students’ Beliefs About What It Means to “Do” Mathematics (Karen B. Givvin, Emma H. Geller, James W. Stigler)....Pages 139-163 The Fifth Lesson: Students’ Responses to a Patterning Task Across the Four Countries (Jorunn Reinhardtsen, Karen B. Givvin)....Pages 165-234 Encountering Algebraic Reasoning in Contemporary Classrooms: Epilogue (Roger Säljö, Cecilia Kilhamn)....Pages 235-247 Back Matter ....Pages 249-263