The effectiveness of a teacher professional learning programme : the perceptions and performance of mathematics teachers
Date
2014-12-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AOSIS Publishing
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to report on an investigation of the perceptions and performance
of mathematics teachers in a teacher professional learning (TPL) programme based on
realistic mathematics education (RME) principles, which included a topic on transformations,
undertaken by the researcher. Forty-seven Senior Phase (Grade 7–9) teachers took part in the
mixed-methods study in which they answered a questionnaire with both closed and openended
items. Fifty teachers took an achievement test at the end of the programme. The TPL
programme used the RME approach in the design and delivery of mathematical tasks intended
to enhance teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching. The sessions were conducted
in a manner that modelled one way in which RME principles can be adopted as a teacher
professional development strategy. The significance of the study is that continuing TPL is
acknowledged to contribute to improvement in teaching and learning to address the concern
about unsatisfactory learner achievement in mathematics. The responses suggested that the
majority of teachers experienced the sessions positively in relation to all but one of the six
RME principles. The teachers reported that they took an active part both as individuals and
in small groups and expressed their willingness to adopt the type of activities and materials
for their classrooms, which is an essential first step in Guskey’s first level of evaluation of a
teacher TPL programme. The teachers’ average performance in an achievement test at the end
of the topic was 72% which was indicative of modest learning gains at Guskey’s second level
of TPL effectiveness.
Description
Please cite as follows:
Ndlovu, M. 2014. The effectiveness of a teacher professional learning programme: the perceptions and performance of mathematics teachers. Pythagoras, 35(2):1-10 (Art #237), doi: 10.4102/pythagoras. v35i2.237.
The original publication is available at http://www.pythagoras.org.za
Ndlovu, M. 2014. The effectiveness of a teacher professional learning programme: the perceptions and performance of mathematics teachers. Pythagoras, 35(2):1-10 (Art #237), doi: 10.4102/pythagoras. v35i2.237.
The original publication is available at http://www.pythagoras.org.za
Keywords
Mathematic teachers -- Training of -- South Africa, Effective teaching -- South Africa
Citation
Ndlovu, M. 2014. The effectiveness of a teacher professional learning programme: the perceptions and performance of mathematics teachers. Pythagoras, 35(2):1-10 (Art #237), doi: 10.4102/pythagoras.
v35i2.237.