Examining Social and Sociomathematical Norms in Different Classroom Microcultures: Mathematics Teacher Education Perspective

Abstract

Each classroom has its own microculture with its own norms that belong to this microculture. It is these norms that characterize every kind of activity and discussion in the classroom. What makes a mathematics classroom different from any other classroom is the nature of norms, rather than their existence or absence. This study aims to identify the social and sociomathematical norms that belong to different mathematics learning environments within this framework as a multiple-case study based on the qualitative design. The data has been collected through observations of two different classrooms in a mathematics teacher education program at a state university in Turkey. The constant comparative method was used for data analysis. This study, with prospective teachers as participants, identifies the social and sociomathematical norms that regulate the classroom microcultures. The findings show how norms with different qualities can be established and sustained in two different courses within the same teacher training program, and their possible effects on learning and teaching are discussed in the context of teacher education.