Shikha Takker
Assistant Professor
shikha.takker@mahindrauniversity.edu.in
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.
2009-2021
PhD in Science Education, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India (2009-2021)
2006-2008
Masters in Education (Elementary), Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India (2006-2008)
2002-2006
Bachelors in Elementary Education, Jesus and Mary College, Delhi University, India (2002-2006)
Teaching
- 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
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
Content Development
- 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
Journals
2023
Adler, J., Mwadzaangati, L. & Takker, S. (2023). From defining as assertion to defining as explaining meaning:
teachers' learning through theory-informed lesson study. International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies,
12(1), 38-51. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLLS-02-2022-0029
2022
- 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
2021
- 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
2019
Takker, S., & Subramaniam, K. (2019). Knowledge demands in teaching decimal numbers. Journal of Mathematics
Teacher
Education, 22(3), pp. 257-280. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-017-9393-z
2018
Takker, S., & Subramaniam, K. (2018). Teacher Knowledge and Learning In-situ: A Case Study of the Long Division
Algorithm. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 43(3), pp. 1-20. Retrieved from http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol43/iss3/1
2015
Takker, S. & Khunyakari, R. (2015). Re-imagining classrooms as spaces for learning of teachers and teacher
educators, Voices of Teachers, and Teacher Educators, 4(2), pp. 47-53. Delhi: NCTE, MHRD. https://ncert.nic.in/pdf/publication/journalsandperiodicals/vtte/Voices_Feb_18.pdf
2011
Takker, S. (2011). Reformed Curriculum Framework: Insights from Teachers’ Perspectives. Journal of Mathematics
Education at Teachers College, Mathematics Curriculum Issue, 2(1), pp. 34-39. https://doi.org/10.7916/jmetc.v2i1.703
Book chapters
2023
Takker, S. & Ramchand, M. (2023). The burden on teacher education. In M. Ramchand, R. Khunyakari & A. Bose (Eds.), Learning without Burden - A quarter of a century after the Yashpal Committee Report: Where are we and what have we learnt? (pp. 57-82). Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.
2022
Takker, S. (2022). Teachers’ voices on the National Curriculum Framework 2005. In D. Nawani, N. Manjrekar, R. Paliwal & R. Shevade (Eds.), Reflections on Educational Practice: Thematic Studies on Teaching Profession, TLM, Curriculum and Assessment (pp. 105-123). Eklavya Foundation: India.
2012
Takker, S. (2012). Using classroom-based tasks as contexts for reflection and situating teacher learning. In P. L. Sharma & C. G. V. Murthy (Eds.) Readings in Teacher Education: Preparation and Professional Development (pp. 239-258). Mysore: Regional Institute of Education, NCERT.
Teacher magazines
2020
- 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.
2019
Takker, S. (2019). Understanding learners’ thinking through an analysis of errors. At Right Angles, Azim Premji
University. pp. 38-44.
2017
Khunyakari, R. & Takker, S. (2017). Challenging the notion of confined classrooms: Thinking of education beyond
textbooks. The New Leam, Vol. III, No. 22-23, March-April Issue, pp. 23-27.
2016
Takker, S. & Khunyakari, R. (2016). Reimagining the learning landscape. Teacher Plus, 14(2), pp. 42-45.
2014
D’Souza, R. & Takker, S. (2014). Learning mathematics through puzzles: No solution is also a good solution. At Right
Angles, 3(2), pp. 18-22.
Conference Proceedings
2023
Takker, S., Pournara, C, & Ratnayake, I. (2023). Design research short teaching interventions and numeric equations: What promise do they hold for improving teaching and learning of equations? In C. H. Stevenson-Milln (Eds.) Intersecting Research, Policy and Practice for a Sustainable Praxis in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education: New possibilities and directions for the post-COVID-19 Pandemic Era: Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the Southern African Association for Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, pp. 152-156, Jan 17-19, South Africa: University of Free State, Bloemfontein.
2022
- 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.
2021
- 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.
2018
Takker, S. (2018). Knowledge demands placed on a mathematics teacher learning to teach responsively. In S. Ladage & S. Narvekar (Eds.), Proceedings of epiSTEME7: Seventh International Conference to Review Research on Science, Technology, and Mathematics Education, pp. 323-331, India: Cinnamon Teal.
2017
- 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.
2016
Takker, S. (2016). Evolution of a professional learning space for mathematics teachers and researchers. In Proceedings of Seventh Annual International Comparative Education Society of India: Comparative Educational Destinies: Visions, Dilemmas and Challenges hosted by S.V. University, Tirupati, Nov 19-21.
2015
- 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.
2013
Takker, S., Kanhere, A., Naik, S. & Subramaniam, K. (2013). From Relational Reasoning to Generalisation through tasks on number sentences. In Nagarjuna, G., Jamakhandi, A. & Sam, E. (eds.), Proceedings of epiSTEME 5: International Conference to Review Research in Science, Technology and Mathematics Education. pp. 336-342. HBCSE, India: Cinnamonteal.
2012
Takker, S. & Subramaniam, K. (2012). Teacher’s Knowledge of and Responses to Students’ Thinking. In Proceedings of 12th International Congress on Mathematics Education. pp.4906-4915. Seoul: South Korea.
2011
Takker, S. & Subramaniam, K. (2011). Potential of Classroom-based Tasks for Eliciting Teachers’ Knowledge about Students’ Mathematics. Paper presented at National Initiative on Mathematics Education, Western Regional Conference, IISER, Pune, India. December 26-28, 2011.
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
