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How Does Ongoing Task-Focused Mathematics Professional Development Influence Elementary School Teachers’ Knowledge, Beliefs and Enacted Pedagogies?

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Abstract

This study examined how a task-focused, year-long mathematics professional development program influenced elementary school teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and practices. Participants completed 84 h of professional development over 13 months that were focused on exploring, modifying and implementing cognitively-demanding mathematical tasks. Using a multi-methods approach, teacher-participants completed pre- and post-measures of mathematical knowledge for teaching, teachers’ beliefs about teaching and learning mathematics, and teachers’ self-reports of enacted instructional practices. Further, three teacher-participants were randomly selected to be observed 3 times over the course of the school year. Data analyses indicated that the professional development had a statistically significant positive impact on participants’ mathematical knowledge for teaching, use of student-centered instructional practices, and beliefs towards mathematics as a subject area. Further, the observed teachers enacted some high-level mathematical tasks and questions, but these were more visible at the end of the study compared to the beginning of the study. Implications for future work are also shared.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education, UNC Charlotte, COED 370, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA

    Drew Polly & David K. Pugalee

  2. Davidson Day School, 750 Jetton St., Davidson, NC, 28036, USA

    Henry Neale

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  1. Drew Polly
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  2. Henry Neale
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  3. David K. Pugalee
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Correspondence to Drew Polly.

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Polly, D., Neale, H. & Pugalee, D.K. How Does Ongoing Task-Focused Mathematics Professional Development Influence Elementary School Teachers’ Knowledge, Beliefs and Enacted Pedagogies?. Early Childhood Educ J 42, 1–10 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-013-0585-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-013-0585-6

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