Pre-service primary teachers’ shame and pride experienced in mathematics when working at school (PriSMa-P)

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Lars Meyer-Jenßen
• Subject Area: General and Domain-Specific Teaching and Learning
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 545764321

Emotions are important for pre-service teachers in learning and achievement situations during teacher education, especially for knowledge acquisition (control-value theory: Pekrun, 2006), and in practice phases, especially for teaching (model of teacher emotions: Frenzel, 2014). Previous research within the context of primary teacher education, both in general and specifically in the field of mathematics, has not comprehensively considered emotions that are closely linked to the self and shaped by social aspects (e.g., shame and pride). While established psychological models distinguish between authentic and hubristic (arrogant) pride (Tracy & Robins, 2006), this differentiation has been sparingly explored within educational contexts, with only a few exceptions. The present proposed project aims to investigate shame, authentic, and hubristic pride as achievement emotions both within the study of mathematics and in the teaching of mathematics concerning their origins, maintenance, and subsequent effects on pre-service primary teachers when they are working at school. To achieve this, against the backdrop of established theories such as the Control-Value Theory (Pekrun, 2006), the Model of Teacher Emotions (Frenzel, 2014), as well as competence research models (Blömeke, 2015), and empirical findings, a heuristic model has been derived. This model will be longitudinally tested in its individual components across five measurement points before, during, and at the end of the practical training semester. Regarding the origins of shame, authentic, and hubristic pride as achievement emotions, effects of predisposing factors (e.g., learning and performance goals, learning opportunities) mediated through control and value appraisals will be examined. Concerning maintenance, the interplay of these three emotions with appraisals and professional knowledge in mathematics will be explored. Shame, authentic, and hubristic pride in teaching mathematics will be conceptualized as consequences of these achievement emotions and also investigated in relation to maintaining factors such as professional knowledge and appraisals in teaching, as well as their effects on the planned choice of teaching methods. In addition to validating these theoretically formulated assumptions specifically regarding shame, authentic, and hubristic pride, the project aims to provide insights into the connection between Control-Value Theory and the Model of Teacher Emotions. Pre-service primary teachers, specifically during their practical training semester, will be studied, as they represent both learners and teachers during this phase. Ultimately, the findings could contribute to an evidence-based improvement of primary teacher education during the practical training phase by providing knowledge for tailored interventions, enabling effective support for pre-service primary teachers in this challenging phase.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants