The maths didactic skills of nursery teachers are key to ensuring that children can develop good basic maths skills before they start school. The ability to recognise mathematics in everyday situations at the daycare centre, such as setting the table or doing puzzles, seems to be particularly crucial. The exact role that this situational observation and perception plays in the quality of mathematical support in daycare centres will be investigated from next year in the "MasiK" project led by Prof. Dr Julia Bruns (Paderborn University) in cooperation with Prof. Dr Hedwig Gasteiger (Osnabrück University). The researchers are conducting an intervention study with nursery school teachers from North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony. The project is being funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) with around half a million euros. It will run for three years.
The aim of this research project is to find out how the ability for situational observation and perception influences the relationship between the maths-related knowledge and the ability of educators to act pedagogically and didactically in the field of 'early mathematical education'. A better understanding of the relationships between mathematics-related knowledge, situational observation and perception and pedagogical-didactic action can also lead to the development of more effective training and further education opportunities for (prospective) educators in order to promote the mathematical development of children in early education. The results of this study will therefore not only contribute to a theoretical gain in knowledge, but also have practical relevance for the training and further education of educators.
