Shikha Takker

Shikha is an Assistant Professor at the Indira Mahindra School of Education at Mahindra University, Hyderabad, India. She has been working in the area of mathematics teacher education. She is interested in the dialectics of research and practice, and how these can be used to inform and learn from practices. As part of her postdoctoral research, she worked on supporting secondary mathematics teachers in their knowledge of specific topics adapting the socio-cultural frameworks of learning. In her PhD research, she attempted to create a community of researchers and teachers to investigate and orchestrate responsive teaching that supports teachers in responding to contingent classroom situations. She has developed several courses for pre-service teacher education programmes; organized and conducted workshops for teachers, subject leads, school principals and education officers; and developed topic-specific modules through working with students and teachers. She has taught courses to undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral students, and working professionals.

Her areas of interest include mathematics education, teacher education and professional development, responsive teaching, students’ thinking, teacher learning and reflections on theoretical frames.

• PhD in Science Education, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India (2009-2021)
• Masters in Education (Elementary), Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India (2006-2008)
• Bachelors in Elementary Education, Jesus and Mary College, Delhi University, India (2002-2006)

Journals

• Takker, S., & Pournara, C. (2022). Knowledge demands placed on mathematics teachers by textbooks: Case of decimal fractions. Asian Journal for Mathematics Education, 1(3), 285-305. https://doi.org/10.1177/27527263221111569
• Takker, S. (2022). Making the structure visible: Using numeric equations to introduce algebraic equations, Learning and Teaching Mathematics, 33, 10-14.
• Pournara, C., Sanders, Y., & Takker, S. (2022). Learners’ errors with linear equations – and how to solve them!. Learning and Teaching Mathematics, 32, pp. 3-9. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/ejc-amesal_v2022_n32_a2

• Ratnayake, I., Takker, S., & Pournara, C. (2021). Breaking down and building up: Adapting diagrams to develop geometric reasoning. Learning and Teaching Mathematics, 31, pp. 10-15. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/ejc-amesal_v2021_n31_a3
• Takker, S., Masondo, W., & Pournara, C. (2021). Decompression and re-representation: Key ideas in teaching exponents. Learning and Teaching Mathematics,30, pp. 16-22. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/ejc-amesal-v2021-n30-a4

Book chapters

Teacher magazines

• Takker, S. (2020). Using mathematical knowticing to impact practice. Teacher Plus.
• Takker, S. (2020). Developing knowticing among mathematics teachers. Teacher Plus, May-June Issue, Azim Premji University. pp. 29-31.

Conference Proceedings

• Takker, S., Ratnayake, I., Pournara, C., & Adler, J. (2022). Framework for analysing secondary mathematics teachers’ development of geometric reasoning. In C. Fernandez, S. Llinares, A. Gutirrez, & N. Planas (eds.) Proceedings of the 45th Conference of the International group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Vol. 4, pp. 83-90, July 18-23, Spain: Universidad de Alicante.
• Mwadzaangati, L., Takker, S., & Adler, J. (2022). Teacher learning about exemplification in geometry through lesson study. In C. Fernandez, S. Llinares, A. Gutirrez, & N. Planas (eds.) Proceedings of the 45th Conference of the International group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Vol. 3, pp. 219-226, July 18-23, Spain: Universidad de Alicante.
• Pournara, C., & Takker, S. (2022). Numeric equations: A key step in solving the equation problem. In D. Chari & A. Gupta (eds.) Proceedings of Episteme 9: International Conference to Review Research in Science, Technology and Mathematics Education, July 04-08, pp. 362-369, India: Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.
• Takker, S., Mwadzaangati, L., & Adler, J. (2022). Teachers’ knowledge of students’ thinking inferred from lesson plans in lesson study. In D. Chari & A. Gupta (eds.) Proceedings of Episteme 9: International Conference to Review Research in Science, Technology and Mathematics Education, July 04-08, pp. 397-405, India: Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.
• Ratnayake, I., Takker, S., Pournara, C., & Adler, J. (2022). Developing tools to analyse teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching basic geometry. 12th Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education (CERME12), Bolzano, Italy, 02 – 05 Feb 2022.
• Pournara, C., Adler, J., Takker, S., Mwadzaangaati, L., Ratnayake, I., & Planas, N. (2022). A framework for promoting geometric reasoning: Rationale, constitutive elements and initial applications. 30th Conference of the Southern African Association for Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (SAARMSTE), South Africa, 18 – 20 Jan, 2022.

• Takker, S., Masondo, W. & Pournara, C. (2021). Using decompression and re-representation in constructing examples for exponents. In Z. Jojo & M. D. Plooy (Eds.), Proceedings of 26th Annual National Congress of the Association for Mathematics Education of South Africa: Developing Equitable Mathematical Teaching and Learning Practices that Empower Teachers and Learners in the 4IR Era. Vol. 2, pp. 100-104.
• Takker. S. & Subramaniam, K. (2021). Contingent moments in teacher-researcher collaboration. International Congress on Mathematics Education ICME 14.

• Takker, S. (2017). Challenges in dealing with social justice concerns in mathematics classrooms. In A. Chronaki (Eds.), Proceedings of the Ninth International Mathematics Education and Society Conference, pp. 936- 945, Volos: Greece
• Takker, S. (2017). Developing noticing in middle school mathematics teachers. Proceedings of Eighth Comparative Education Society International Conference: Criticality, Empathy and Welfare in Contemporary Educational Discourses, November 16-18, Jammu University.Takker, S. & Subramaniam, K. (2016). Changing teacher knowledge-in-practice: A case of decimal fractions. Proceedings of Thirteenth International Congress on Mathematics Education, Hamburg: Germany.

• Takker, S. (2015). Confluence of Research and Teaching: Case Study of a Mathematics Teacher. In K. Krainer & N. Vondrova (Eds.), Proceedings of the Ninth Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education. pp. 3269-3275, Prague: Czech Republic.
• Takker, S. (2015). Bridging the Gap Between Research & Teaching Through Sensitive Research Methodologies. Paper presented at Fifth Annual International Comparative Education Society of India on the theme Education, Politics and Social Change, Delhi University, Delhi: India, November 16-18, 2015.

• Assistant Professor at the Indira Mahindra School of Education at Mahindra University: (2023- Present)

• Assistant Professor, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad, India (2020-2021)
• Visiting Faculty, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India (2012-2015, 2018-2020)
• Visiting Faculty, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad, India (2015-2018)
• Visiting Faculty, I am a teacher, Mumbai, India (2018-2020)
• School mathematics teacher, The Heritage School, Delhi (2006-2009)
• Research projects as part of postdoctoral research with Wits Maths Connect Secondary Project at University of Witwatersrand, South Africa (2021-2023)
  • Numeric equations teaching study: Design research
  • Theory-informed lesson study on geometry with secondary mathematics teachers
  • Research-based course on developing basic understanding of geometry

• Research project funded by Tata trusts (2018-2020)

• Research project on Understanding reverse school choice in rural Maharashtra funded by Tata Trusts
  • Academic coordinator, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Design and development of pre-service teacher
    education programmes offered by (integrated BA-B.Ed, B.Ed, B.Ed-M.Ed)
  • Curriculum and Pedagogy Lead, Modak Inclusive communities, Development of the mathematics curriculum materials
    for K-12
  • Course Developer, Connected open online learning (COOL project), Collaboration of Tata Institute of Social
    Sciences and National Council of Teacher Education, Development of online courses for in-service teacher
    education
• Subject Lead, NEXT Education Private Limited, Development of mathematics textbooks

Post-doctoral research at Wits University, South Africa

• Numeric education teaching study: developing and testing materials for secondary school students and teachers of South Africa and India
• Developing understanding of basic geometry: a research-based course for secondary school mathematics teachers of South Africa
• Using lesson study to support Malawian secondary teachers’ learning of geometry

PhD research Investigating and supporting teachers’ knowledge of and responses to students’ mathematical thinking Pilot research projects for PhD

• Designing and teaching a research-based module on promoting algebraic thinking for Grade 6 and 7 students
• Investigating teachers’ knowledge of students’ thinking in proportional reasoning

Research guidance 8 MA Education dissertations