The objectives of the study are to assess epistemological beliefs in mathematics of a group of preservice elementary school teachers enrolled in a teacher preparation and certification program at a school in the Southwest United States. Its construct is based on the hypothesis that the degree to which preservice teachers hold constructivist beliefs depends on their own education in mathematics during high school as well as on their status (i.e. length of permanence and/or progress) in the current teacher preparation program.
A pre-existing instrument was used to measure the characteristics of our population corresponding to our construct and internal consistency and construct validity were assumed based on the similarities of the populations and the proven internal consistency found in the original study by the authors of the instrument.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Epistemological beliefs in mathematics
1.2 Assessment of Belief Structures
1.3 Internal Consistency and Validity of an Instrument
1.4 Objectives
2. Methodology
3. Results and Discussion
3.1 Population and Sample
3.2 Instrument
3.3 Internal Consistency by Groups
3.4 Data Analysis
3.4.1 Epistemological beliefs as a function of preservice teachers’ math education at high school
3.4.2 Association between scores and preservice teachers’ present situation at college
3.4.3 Instrument and construct
4. Conclusions
Research Objectives & Themes
The primary objective of this study is to assess the epistemological beliefs in mathematics held by preservice elementary teachers in the Southwest United States, specifically investigating whether these beliefs correlate with their prior high school mathematics education and their progress within an educator preparation program.
- Epistemological beliefs in mathematics education
- Reliability and construct validity of survey instruments
- Impact of constructivist vs. traditional teaching methodologies
- Transition period in teacher preparation and belief structures
Excerpt from the Book
Epistemological beliefs in mathematics
Epistemology is the science about the nature of knowledge. It searches for answers to questions about the sources but also the limits of human knowledge (Muis, 2004). Inherent in these general questions are other more specific ones that refer to the way knowledge is created, changed, and extended. Furthermore, it is of interest how these questions can be addressed for certain subareas of knowledge, as for example the subject area of mathematics.
It is clear that discussions about the nature of knowledge play a prominent role in the area of education in general and related to mathematics specifically. The educator’s task is to promote and facilitate learning for her students and this educator’s own beliefs about the nature of knowledge strongly impacts how she will structure and practice her teaching (Artzt & Armour-Thomas, 2002; Peterson, 1988).
Several concepts about the processes of knowledge acquisition have been presented and widely discussed during the last century. Piaget’s theory about cognitive development has been especially influential for the understanding and structuring of the learning process (e.g. Snowman & Biehler, 2006). In Piaget’s concept, learning is closely related to the biologic development of the individual. He proposes a framework for the possible sequence and pace of the different learning steps. Accordingly, teaching based on Piaget’s concept imposes a certain order in which mathematical concepts can be presented to students. Specifically relevant for the teaching of mathematics is the belief that the formal operational stage of learning, where the individual is able to deal with abstractions and engage in mental manipulations of the content, must invariably be preceded by a concrete operational stage where the individual needs concrete experience with the content to be able to achieve mastery (Snowman & Biehler, 2006).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter defines epistemology in the context of mathematics education and establishes the importance of teachers' beliefs in shaping their classroom practice, while outlining the shift toward constructivist teaching approaches.
2. Methodology: This section describes the administration of a 48-item questionnaire based on a prior study to assess the beliefs of preservice teachers enrolled in a certification program.
3. Results and Discussion: This chapter presents the data analysis, highlighting that the instrument lacked sufficient internal consistency and revealing conflicting belief structures among the participants.
4. Conclusions: This section interprets the findings, suggesting that the inconsistent data reflects a generation of preservice teachers in transition between traditional and constructivist methodologies.
Keywords
Epistemological beliefs, Mathematics education, Preservice teachers, Constructivism, Teacher preparation, Internal consistency, Construct validity, Cronbach’s alpha, Pedagogical content knowledge, Educational reform, Teaching methods, Belief structures, Statistical analysis, Likert scale, Professional development
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The work investigates the epistemological mathematical beliefs of preservice elementary teachers and how these beliefs relate to their educational background and professional training.
What are the central themes discussed?
The central themes include the transition from traditional to constructivist teaching methods, the importance of teachers' belief structures, and the challenges of measuring these beliefs using legacy survey instruments.
What is the core research question?
The research asks if the epistemological beliefs of preservice teachers are associated with their high school mathematical education and their progression within a teacher preparation program.
Which scientific methods were employed?
The study used a 48-item Likert-scale questionnaire, followed by quantitative analysis including Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency, two-sample t-tests, and ANOVA procedures for subgroup comparisons.
What does the main body of the text address?
The main body evaluates the reliability of the chosen instrument, analyzes the collected data across various subgroups, and discusses the observed contradictions in participants' beliefs.
How would you characterize this work?
It is a quantitative study exploring the intersection of pedagogical beliefs, instructional reform, and instrument validation in teacher education.
Why did the study fail to confirm the initial hypothesis?
The study found that the original instrument lacked internal consistency when applied to this specific population, likely because the teachers hold conflicting beliefs shaped by both traditional and modern instruction.
What does the author suggest regarding the "failed" results?
The author argues that the inconsistent data is actually evidence of a transition period, where preservice teachers are attempting to reconcile their traditional mathematical training with newly learned constructivist ideals.
- Quote paper
- Birgit Steinich (Author), 2009, Epistemological Beliefs of Preservice Teachers as a Function of Their Own Mathematical Education, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/983268
