From classroom environment to conception of mathematics

Abstract

The psychosocial classroom environment is an infl uential factor in the enhancement of learning. This has been a subject of interest to many researchers since the 1980s. It is well established that students learn better in an environment congruent to their preferences. In recent years, beliefs, which include beliefs about the discipline, about how one can learn better and about oneself is yet another research focus. We can conceptualise all these into a neat formulation which involves the notion of the lived space. Teachers, basing upon their knowledge and beliefs, together with the curriculum and school settings, shape the space students live in, which consequentially generates students’ outcome space. Such an outcome space comprises students’ cognitive and affective learning outcomes, as well as their beliefs. In the past two decades, the authors have conducted a number of studies concerning teachers’ and students’ preferred and perceived classroom environments, teachers’ beliefs and students’ lived space in relation to the conception of mathematics. This chapter will summarise what has been done so far, as well as discuss possible ideas for future development.