A comparison of beliefs related to the teaching of mathematics in teacher-trainees and experienced elementary school teachers.
Item
-
Title
-
A comparison of beliefs related to the teaching of mathematics in teacher-trainees and experienced elementary school teachers.
-
Identifier
-
AAI9405562
-
identifier
-
9405562
-
Creator
-
Moore, Patrick Joseph.
-
Contributor
-
Adviser: Carol Kehr Tittle
-
Date
-
1993
-
Language
-
English
-
Publisher
-
City University of New York.
-
Subject
-
Education, Educational Psychology | Education, Mathematics
-
Abstract
-
This study investigated the differences between teacher-trainees and experienced teachers in beliefs in teaching mathematics. The beliefs, identified in the educational research literature as related to teachers' instructional activity in the area of mathematics, were personal ability in mathematics, teacher efficacy, personal efficacy for teaching mathematics, malleability of mathematical ability, and the constructivist nature of mathematics learning.;The teacher-trainees sample (group one) consisted of one hundred and eight undergraduate students seeking certification to teach all subjects at the elementary school level, with no teaching experience. The experienced teachers (group two) consisted of one hundred and seven elementary school teachers with no less than three nor no more than twenty five years of teaching experience. Both groups were recruited from four urban colleges and universities. Group one included undergraduates completing a specialization in elementary education; group two included teachers enrolled in Elementary Education masters' programs. Teacher-trainees and experienced teachers with subject area preparation in mathematics or teaching experience were not included in this sample.;A 78-item survey instrument consisting of five Likert-type subscales was used to collect data about the beliefs. Each of the subscales reliably measured one of the beliefs. The subscales were scored separately. Three hypotheses were tested: (1) Higher means scores were predicted on the five subscales for the experienced teachers sample. (2) Higher zero-order coefficients of correlations between the scores on the belief scales were predicted for the experienced teachers. (3) A significantly greater amount of variance would be accounted for among the experienced teachers compared to the teacher-trainees when the criterion variable about how students learn mathematics was predicted on the basis of personal ability in mathematics, teacher efficacy, personal efficacy for teaching mathematics, and the malleability of mathematical ability.;Only the first of the three hypotheses was found to be significant. The result and limitations of the study are discussed in terms of educational implications and future research.
-
Type
-
dissertation
-
Source
-
PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
-
degree
-
Ph.D.
