Teachers' Knowledge, Beliefs, and Perceptions About Mathematics Teaching

Abstract

Providing a study on mathematics teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK), the goal of this chapter is to investigate the predictive value of teachers' beliefs (e.g., self-efficacy) and mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) on their level of TPACK. Background variables, gender, ethnicity, certification, experience, and mathematics degree were all controlled for in this study. Two-step regression analysis results by school level (K-5, middle, and high) indicate that standards-based mathematics teaching beliefs positively predict mathematics teachers' level of TPACK for all teachers. Having a college/graduate mathematics degree is more predictive of TPACK for K-5 and middle school teachers while MKT is more predictive of TPACK for high school teachers. In addition, elementary teachers' mathematics self-concept and pedagogical preparedness and middle school teachers' mathematics teaching interest were significantly related to their level of TPACK. The implications for school districts and teacher preparation programs to develop TPACK for teachers are discussed.

The influence of mathematical knowledge for teaching towards elementary teachers’ mathematical self-efficacy

“…Researchers claim that when mathematics teachers have a high level of MKT, that will pave the way for high MSE because it eases teachers' cognitive process and allows them to give more attention to the instructional process (Rushton et al, 2016). Other variables that help to validate this relationship are teachers' mathematical degree (Corkin et al, 2016;Ekmekci et al, 2019) and background (Corkin et al, 2015;Stevens et al, 2013), and the mathematical context of the MSE and the MKT scales (Austin, 2015). Therefore, the relationship between the MSE and the MKT could turn to be harmful or disappear when math teachers lack experience or knowledge, have low ability for self-evaluation, or utilize less valid instruments to measure the MSE or the MKT (Austin, 2013(Austin, , 2015Francis et al, 2017;Norton, 2019aNorton, , 2019bStevens et al, 2013;Thomson et al, 2017).…”

“…Teachers' ability to understand mathematical content in students' practices becomes strong with the MSE and the MKT, and thus their instructional quality and practices, and problem-solving skills (Yun & Ah, 2016). Moreover, they can predict mathematics teachers' knowledge in technology, pedagogy, and content (TPACK) and help teachers identify significant math events, interpret them meaningfully, and connect them with instructional practices (Ekmekci et al, 2019). In conclusion, there is still a need to understand both constructs, the MKT and the MSE, and whether MKT is a predictor of the MSE.…”