The professional development of mathematics teachers: generality and specificity

The aim of this work is to present a study concerning primary and secondary in-service teacher professional development in the perspective of carrying out some innovations related to usual practice. The first results show that one major difference among the teachers groups involved is represented by the voluntary nature as well as by the training duration; the latter would permit the overcoming of a natural resistance to the change. We claim, as a base of our work, the need and the pertinence of a debate on the necessity of comparative studies concerning the teacher’s position according to the results of the pedagogical, psychological and sociological research on the role of the teacher.