Primary education teachers' specialized knowledge to teach probability

Abstract

In this work the specialized knowledge for teaching probability of 93 active Primary Education teachers is evaluated. To do this, a set of explicit practices given in the responses to different problematic situations assessing aspects of specialized knowledge content, content knowledge concerning students, content knowledge regarding teaching, and content knowledge related to curriculum were analyzed following a mixed methodological approach. Results indicate that specialized knowledge of Primary Education teachers to teach probability is insufficient, especially regarding knowledge regarding the curriculum. This fact leads to raise the need to incorporate into the programs, of initial and ongoing primary teachers training, a probability didactics system specially designed for this school stage so as to promote and foster an appropriate teaching of probability in the Primary Education classroom.