The relatively new topics of study consists as follows:
• The nature of teachers’ beliefs about the subject matter and about its teaching and learning
• The influence of those beliefs on teachers’ instructional practice
In a theoretical paper based partly on empirical findings of studies of mathematics teachers’ beliefs, Ernest (1988) noted that among the many key elements that influence the practice of mathematics teaching, three are most notable:
1. The teacher’s mental contents or schemas, particularly the system of beliefs concerning mathematics and its teaching and learning
2. The social context of the teaching situation, particularly the constraints and opportunities it provides
3. The teacher’s level of thought processes and reflection.
The research literature on mathematics teachers’ beliefs by Ernest, although scant, indicates that teachers’ approaches to mathematics teaching depend fundamentally on:
• Their systems of beliefs
• Their conceptions of the nature and meaning of mathematics
• Their mental models of teaching and learning mathematics