Teaching mathematics in a complex system: Teacher educators in universities in Chile

Abstract

Although teacher educators are central in improving initial teacher education, there has been little attention into this actor both in international and Latin American research. This paper reports an exploratory qualitative study on the experiences of teacher educators enacting their roles and corresponding identities in different university contexts in Chile. It explores particularly how teacher educators from 18 universities describe their roles in these settings and how the experience of different access to resources and support impact their professional identities. It suggests that providing with support for implementing multiple roles can have a positive impact in teacher educators approach to their roles and change and that even experienced teachers can feel lacking experience when they are unsupported.