ZDM 2005 Vol. 37 (1) Analyses 43 Preparing Teachers to Foster Algebraic Thinking Hilda Borko, Jeff Frykholm, Mary Pittman, Eric Eiteljorg, Mary Nelson, Jennifer Jacobs, Karen Koellner-Clark, Craig Schneider Boulder, CO (USA) Abstract: The purpose of this article is to share the conceptual framework and beginning analyses of data from a teacher professional development program that focuses on cultivating teachers’ understanding of algebraic thinking, learning, and teaching. Specifically, in this paper we share: (1) the conceptual framework that has guided the structure of the professional development program and research agenda, and (2) an initial set of findings from the first component of the program. These findings illustrate strategies for developing community among teachers, as well as the potential of using a professional learning community as a context for fostering teacher learning. Kurzreferat: Ziel dieses Beitrags ist, den konzeptionellen Rahmen und erste Analysen von Daten aus einem Fortbildungsprogramm für Lehrpersonen darzustellen, das darauf ausgerichtet ist, das Verständnis von Lehrpersonen für algebraisches Denken, Lernen und Lehren auszubilden. Insbesondere stellen wir vor: Erstens den konzeptionellen Rahmen, der die Struktur des Fortbildungsprogramms für Lehrpersonen geleitet hat sowie den Forschungsablauf und zweitens erste Erkenntnisse aus dem ersten Programmteil. Diese ersten Erkenntnisse zeigen zum einen Strategien für die Entwicklung von Lehrergemeinschaften auf und zum anderen das Potential der Verwendung von Lehrergemeinschaften für Lehrerfortbildung. ZDM-Classification: B50, H20 1. Introduction Much can be said about ways in which the mathematics education community has narrowed the distance between the vision, and the actual practice, of reform-based teaching and learning in our schools. Yet, recent writings in our field continue to indicate how difficult it can be for many teachers, and in particular American teachers, to embrace, understand, and implement these pedagogical and curricular reforms (Heaton 2000; Ma 1999; Stigler & Hiebert 1999). These reports suggest that there is much work to be done regarding the professional development of mathematics teachers (Remillard & Geist 2002). As Cooney (1988) suggested 15 years ago, “reform is not a matter of paper but a matter of people”. (p. 355) This statement still rings true today, and is a reminder of the importance of carefully considering how our community can continue to support the development of teachers’ mathematical and pedagogical content knowledge. The purpose of this article is to share the conceptual framework and beginning analyses of data from a teacher professional development program 1 that focuses on 1 The professional development program and research described in this article are part of a larger project entitled Supporting the Transition from Arithmetic to Algebraic cultivating teachers’ understanding of algebraic thinking, teaching, and learning. Specifically, this paper outlines: (1) the theories that have guided the structure of the professional development program, and (2) initial findings from the first cycle of the program that illustrate the promise this design holds for impacting teachers’ content knowledge of algebra, as well as their knowledge about the teaching of algebra. 2. Conceptual framework: Designing professional development for the teaching of algebra Our professional development program and research are framed by a situative perspective on teacher learning. This framework connects two constructs that are central components of the program. The first of these constructs—knowledge for teaching—has long been cited as paramount to teacher change. The second construct—teacher learning communities—has enjoyed considerable attention in recent years as researchers and teacher educators alike have acknowledged the impact of sociocultural factors upon teacher learning. 2.1 A situative view of teacher learning Two views of knowing and learning have captivated the interests of researchers and teacher educators in mathematics education throughout the past decade (Cobb 1994). The first of these trends is the widely accepted notion that learners actively construct ways of knowing as they strive to reconcile present experiences with already existing knowledge structures. In recent years, numerous scholars have advanced arguments, both theoretical and empirical, to promote constructivist theories of learning. This wide acceptance of constructivism can be juxtaposed with a second trend in mathematics education that emphasizes the socially and culturally situated nature of mental activity (Cobb 1994). An equally large body of research supports the notion that participation in social and cultural settings is the catalyst for cognitive development (Nunes 1992). This perspective views learning as changes in participation in socially organized activity (Lave & Wenger 1991), and individuals’ use of knowledge as an aspect of their participation in social practices (Greeno 2003). Several theorists have referred to the learning process as one of enculturation (Cobb 1994; Driver, Asoko, Leach, Mortimer, & Scott 1994). Cobb (1994) addressed the perceived “forced choice” (p. 13) between constructivist and sociocultural theories of learning. Along with Driver and colleagues (1994), Cobb argued that learning must be viewed, at least in part, as a process of enculturation and construction. “The critical issue”, Cobb stated, “is not whether students are constructing, but the nature or quality of those socially and culturally situated constructions…. Learning should be viewed as both a process of active individual construction and a process of enculturation into the … Reasoning (STAAR). The STAAR Project is supported by NSF Proposal No. 0115609 through the Interagency Educational Research Initiative (IERI). The views shared in this article are ours, and do not necessarily represent those of IERI.