The use of museum resources in mathematics education: a study with preservice middle-school mathematics teachers

The purpose of this study is to examine how preservice middle-school mathematics teachers connect mathematics with museum resources in their lesson plans. Nine museum-based mathematics lesson plans developed by preservice teachers were examined, based on the interactive experience model. The findings showed that although the preservice teachers were able to connect museum exhibits with many mathematical concepts, most recognised only explicit representations of mathematics in the various objects, and not the more abstract mathematical concepts embedded in those objects. The preservice teachers also used the museum resources in their lesson plans to provide a context or problem situation in which students could use mathematics in procedural ways.