Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Research Articles

The effect of learning opportunity factors and efficacy belief on mathematical knowledge in the teaching process

The present study investigates the influence of opportunities to learn (OTL) and mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs (MTEB) towards mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT). Using a structured questionnaire together with paper and pencil test adapted from the literature reviewed, data were collected from 187 pre-service elementary teachers in Institute of Teacher Education Indonesia. Data were analyzed using Smart PLS 3.0. The result of the structural equation model indicated that both OTL-Practicum (β = 0.395, p < 0.001) and OTL-Program (β = 0.324, p < 0.001) were positively related to MKT. The second regression analysis was to examine the impact of mathematics teaching efficacy belief on the MKT. The results showed that mathematics teaching outcome expectancy belief (MTOEB) (β = 0.322, p < 0.001) was positively related to MKT, whereas personal mathematics teaching efficacy belief (β = 0.017, p > 0.1) was not related to MKT. Overall, the belief and OTL factors explain a total of 54% variance in MKT. Implications from these findings to the successful teacher's education program implementation in Indonesia were further elaborated

Diagnosis of Maths Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Using Expert System

Research on the design of an expert system to diagnose Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs (MTEB) using the Certainty Factor method was the first to be developed. The MTEB instrument was first initiated by Enoch and transformed into an expert system application using the paradigm of modified waterfall software development to sequential or sequential testing steps, ranging from analysis, design, coding, and testing. Data calculation and analysis using the certainty factor method assumes the user's choice is not exact and is at a certain interval. The weighting of expert values from MTEB items is carried out by two experts in the field of mathematics education. Meanwhile, the weight of user consultation uses five approval options, namely strongly agree, agree, simply agree, disagree, and disagree, successively represented by -0.2, -0.1, 0, 0.1, and 0.2. The results of the study gave success to each page of the diagnosis application, and the accuracy rate of the MTEB diagnosis was about 98%. The implication of this research is recommendations for related stakeholders to be followed up so that the MTEB of mathematics teachers becomes even better.

Pre-Service Primary Teachers’ Mathematics Teaching Efficacy on Entry to Initial Teacher Education

<p style="text-align: justify;">Mathematics teaching efficacy is an important construct as confidence in one’s ability to teach influences teaching practices. This paper explores pre-service primary teachers’ mathematics teaching efficacy on entry to initial teacher education and the extent that pre-tertiary mathematics experiences and resultant beliefs affected their mathematics teaching efficacy. A mixed-methods approach combined the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (N=420) and qualitative interviews (N=30). The findings suggest medium personal mathematics teaching efficacy among participants with limited conceptions of what mathematics teaching involves. While uncertain regarding their immediate teaching ability, participants reported confidence regarding their potential. Mathematics teaching outcome expectancy was high; however, an undercurrent of conviction exists that external factors, most notably learners’ natural mathematical ability, are critical to student learning.</p>

Primary Preservice Teachers’ Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs: the Role Played by Mathematics Attainment, Educational Level, Preparedness to Teach, and Gender

This paper reports on research which explored the mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of preservice primary teachers, where efficacy beliefs describe individuals’ beliefs in their potential to enact teaching to promote learning. Efficacy was conceptualised as a bi-faceted construct consisting of personal efficacy and outcome expectancy. This research sought to establish the extent to which differences in efficacy are explained by students’ mathematics attainment level prior to entry into teacher education; the educational level of the students (whether postgraduate or undergraduate); students’ sense of preparedness to teach mathematics on school placement; and students’ gender. A total of 186 students responded to a questionnaire designed to measure their efficacy beliefs after completing one taught mathematics education module in university and one teaching practice placement in primary schools. Bivariate and regression analysis pointed to complex relationships between the explanatory and outcome variables. On bivariate analysis, findings included statistically significant associations between gender, mathematics attainment, preparedness to teach, and one or both of personal efficacy and outcome expectancy. In the regression analysis, gender was statistically significantly associated with outcome expectancy, while preparedness to teach and mathematics attainment were statistically significantly correlated with personal efficacy. Personal efficacy and outcome expectancy were significantly correlated on bivariate analysis, but significance was not retained after controlling for other factors in the regression models. This research has implications for teacher educators in understanding factors explaining mathematics teaching efficacy and therefore helping to better prepare preservice teachers to teach mathematics in the primary school classroom.

REFLECTIVE THINKING AND INQUIRY SKILLS AS PREDICTORS OF SELF-EFFICACY IN TEACHING MATHEMATICS

This study aims to show to what extent the variables of reflective thinking, inquiry skill and mathematics teaching self-efficacy belief affect each other, to show their rates of explaining each other, and to show whether inquiry skill is a mediating variable in the relationship between reflective thinking and mathematics teaching self-efficacy belief. The data which were collected to test the hypotheses regarding the relationships to be shown were evaluated with structural equation modeling. A relational screening model was used in the research. The participants of the study were 304 prospective primary school teachers studying in their third and fourth years in the Basic Education Department of Education Faculties in two different state universities in Turkey. As data collection tools, the “Reflective Thinking Level Determination Scale”, “Inquiry Skills Scale” and “Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument” were used. According to the results of the study, reflective thinking affects mathematics teaching self-efficacy belief positively and significantly and explains it significantly. Reflective thinking affects inquiry skills positively and significantly and explains it significantly. Inquiry skill affects mathematics teaching self-efficacy belief positively and significantly. Reflective thinking and inquiry skill together explain mathematics teaching self-efficacy belief highly and significantly. Inquiry skill has a partial mediating effect between reflective thinking and mathematics teaching self-efficacy belief. Keywords: inquiry skill, mathematics teaching, prospective primary school teachers, reflective thinking, teacher education

Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Belief and Attitude of Pre-service Teachers and Academic Achievement

Given the importance of the beliefs and attitudes of the pre-service teachers, this research aims at studying the relation between mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of pre-service teachers, their attitude towards mathematics and their mathematics academic achievement. Specifically, this work considers both factors together and studies their correlation with mathematics academic achievement. The Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (MTEBI) is used to measure the teachers’ efficacy beliefs of pre-service teachers. Besides, the Attitude towards Mathematics Scale (AMS) is used to rate students’ attitude towards mathematics. Participants are 57 pre-service teachers of the third year of the primary education degree. Students of third years of the bachelor’s degree were invited to answer the MTEBI and AMS. Obtained results reaffirm that both teachers’ efficacy beliefs and attitude towards mathematics are key factors for pre-service teacher’s mathematics academic achievement. Moreover, the two factors correlate moderately with one another. Furthermore, results manifest that Personal Mathematics Teaching Efficacy (PMTE) is the most determining subscale for academic achievement. It is evidenced the importance of strengthening both the pre-service teachers’ efficacy beliefs and the attitude towards mathematics.

Pre-Service Teachers’ Belief About the Efficacy of Their Mathematics Teaching: A Case Study

This paper studies the pre-service teachers’ mathematics teaching self-efficacy throughout the bachelor’s degree in Primary Education. Our hypothesis is that the mathematical courses included in the bachelor’s degree can influence their mathematics teaching self-efficacy. To carry out the study, pre-service teachers of each year of the Primary Education Degree answer the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (MTEBI) at the end of the 2016-17 academic year. The MTEBI is comprised of two sub-scales, namely, Personal Mathematics Teaching Efficacy (PMTE) and Mathematics Teaching Outcome Expectancy (MTOE). Obtained results evidence a statistically significant difference (in positive) between the pre-teachers of the first and the last year of the bachelor’s degree in the PMTE subscale. Therefore, these results show that the three teaching and learning mathematics courses (TLM) included in the bachelor’s degree do change the students’ PMTE. Concretely, the second TLM course, which is connected to a student teaching practice period, really makes the difference. Scores obtained in the MTOE subscale, on the contrary, do not increase throughout the Degree. To sum up, this study shows that the Mathematical Curriculum of the bachelor’s degree can influence on the PMTE of the pre-teachers. Therefore, teacher educators should be aware of the importance of the Mathematical Curriculum and design the teaching and learning mathematics courses in order to promote the PMTE of the pre-teachers.

Effects of Teaching in a Summer STEM Camp on the Mathematics Teaching Self-efficacy of Highly Qualified Preservice Secondary Mathematics Teachers

Educational opportunity gaps experienced by students of color living in poverty, with accompanying lower levels of mathematics achievement, remain a roadblock to their access to college-level training in STEM fields. To address this problem, secondary teachers must be confident in their ability to share mathematics content effectively with students from cultures different than their own. Bridging the opportunity gap is more likely with two elements in place: intellectually stimulating pre-college experiences and community partnerships that establish connections between underserved neighborhoods and resource-filled environments such as university campuses.
 This study explored the effects of teaching in a four-week STEM summer camp for ethnically diverse, high-needs middle school girls on the teaching self-efficacy of highly-qualified preservice secondary mathematics teachers, a group that has been less studied than preservice elementary teachers. Participants were scholarship students in a federally-funded teacher preparation scholarship program at an urban, metropolitan university. Teaching self-efficacy was measured by the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (MTEBI) and by follow-up qualitative analysis of questionnaire responses and focus groups. Participants’ gains on the MTEBI were significant for Personal Mathematics Teaching Efficacy, but not for Mathematics Teaching Outcome Expectancy. Qualitative analyses suggested that both instructional coaching and everyday interactions in a summer camp setting contributed strongly to the preservice teachers’ increased confidence about teaching mathematics to culturally diverse, high-needs learners.

Investigation of Mathematics Teachers’ Self-Efficacy in Teaching Mathematics in the COVID-19 Pandemic Process

Teachers’ beliefs about teaching mathematics have a great influence on students’ success in mathematics. In addition, teachers with high teaching efficacy beliefs create classroom environments where students can be more successful. In the light of this information, the importance of understanding mathematics teachers’ beliefs about their competence has to be considered in mathematics teaching. In this study, a relational survey model was used to examine secondary mathematics teachers’ efficacy beliefs about teaching mathematics in terms of some variables. The sample of the study consists of 165 mathematics teachers selected with the stratified sampling method. In this study, Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Belief Scale, developed by Enochs, Smith, and Huinker (2000) and adapted to Turkish by Takunyacı and Aydın (2013) was used. The first finding of our study is mathematics teachers’ beliefs about mathematics teaching were medium level. The second finding of our study is the personal mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of male teachers were significantly higher than female teachers, while female teachers’ efficacy beliefs about outcome expectations in mathematics teaching were significantly higher than male teachers. The third finding of our study is efficacy beliefs of mathematics teachers working in private high schools about the outcome expectation in mathematics teaching were significantly higher than the mathematics teachers working in public high schools. In the last finding of our study, it was found that the personal mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of mathematics teachers with professional seniority of 11 years or more were significantly higher than teachers with professional seniority of 0-5 years.

Mathematics Teaching Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectancy of Pre-Service and In-Service Primary Education Teachers

Background: Given the importance of studies the mathematics teaching self-efficacy and outcome expectancy of pre-service teachers, novice teachers (up to 10 years of experience) and experienced teachers (more than 10 years of experience), it is important to research the behaviour of the three groups proposed. Objectives: Compare the mathematics teaching self-efficacy and outcome expectancy of pre-service and in-service Primary Education teachers. Design: The Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (MTEBI) is used to carry out the study. The MTEBI comprises two subscales: Personal Mathematics Teaching Efficacy (or teaching self-efficacy) (PMTE) and Mathematics Teaching Outcome Expectancy (MTOE). Setting and Participants: The first group of participants consists of 419 pre-service teachers enrolled at the bachelor’s degree in Primary Education, the second group of participants consists of 69 novice teachers and the last group consists of 176 experienced teachers. Data collection and analysis: Students of all the years of the bachelor’s degree were invited to answer the MTEBI. Therefore, the participation was optional and completely anonymous. Directors of Primary Education schools in the city were sent the link of the survey during the second trimester of 2018-19 academic year. They shared the link so that novice and experienced teachers were able to answer it confidentially. Results: The comparison reveals that experienced teachers have the highest scores in PMTE subscale. The pre-service teachers, on the contrary, give the lowest scores in this subscale. In the MTOE subscale, the lowest values are obtained in the case of novice teachers. Additionally, the statistical analysis shows that there are significant differences between the three groups in both the PMTE and MTOE subscales. Conclusions: The findings of the current study provides information that would be useful for teacher educators to design or modify courses in order to enforce the mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of pre-service and in-service Primary Education teachers.

Student-Teachers’ Beliefs towards Learning Mathematics and Beliefs of Mathematics Teaching Efficacy and their Relation to their Perception of the Development of Pupils’ Understanding of Mathematics

The present study aimed at investigating the student-teachers’ beliefs towards learning mathematics, and beliefs of mathematics teaching efficacy and their relation to their perception of the development of pupils’ understanding of mathematics. Three measures were used in this study: The beliefs towards learning mathematics, the mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs, and the mathematics teacher's perception of the development of pupils’ understanding. Validity and reliability were established. A sample of student-teachers participated in the study. The results of the study showed that the more the positive student-teachers’ beliefs towards learning mathematics, the greater their mathematics teaching-efficacy was. Similarly, the greater the positive student-teachers’ belief towards learning mathematics, the more they become aware of the development of pupils’ understanding of mathematics. Finally, increasing the teaching efficacy of mathematics student-teachers was associated with an increase in their perception of the development of pupils’ understanding of mathematics. Both beliefs and teaching efficacy explained significant variance in the perception of their pupils’ understanding of mathematics.

Student-Teachers’ Beliefs towards Learning Mathematics and Beliefs of Mathematics Teaching Efficacy and their Relation to their Perception of the Development of Pupils’ Understanding of Mathematics

The present study aimed at investigating the student-teachers’ beliefs towards learning mathematics, and beliefs of mathematics teaching efficacy and their relation to their perception of the development of pupils’ understanding of mathematics. Three measures were used in this study: The beliefs towards learning mathematics, the mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs, and the mathematics teacher's perception of the development of pupils’ understanding. Validity and reliability were established. A sample of student-teachers participated in the study. The results of the study showed that the more the positive student-teachers’ beliefs towards learning mathematics, the greater their mathematics teaching-efficacy was. Similarly, the greater the positive student-teachers’ belief towards learning mathematics, the more they become aware of the development of pupils’ understanding of mathematics. Finally, increasing the teaching efficacy of mathematics student-teachers was associated with an increase in their perception of the development of pupils’ understanding of mathematics. Both beliefs and teaching efficacy explained significant variance in the perception of their pupils’ understanding of mathematics.

Teachers’ Efficacy Beliefs in Mathematics Teaching: A Study of Public Primary Schools in Sarawak

The Ministry of Education in Malaysia has voiced concern over the serious problems of underachieving primary school students in Mathematics. While the Ministry is gearing its education direction towards a new generation of STEM experts, the teachers have been assigned to shoulder the movement of the vision. Hence, their views must be understood. A study was conducted among 66 Mathematics teachers from 39 public primary schools in the sub-urban district of Samarahan inMalaysia to understand their mathematics teaching efficacy. The Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MTEBI) by Enochs, Smith and Huinker (2000) was adapted and used in the data collection. Quantitative data analysis methods include descriptive statistics and the analysis of variance. The results indicated that the teachers were confident of their efficacy in Mathematics teaching. Specifically, the teachers’ personal efficacy was slightly lower than outcome expectancy. In addition, there was a moderate positive significant relationship between teachers’ personal efficacy and outcome expectancy. Gender, years of Mathematics teaching experience and highest education attained were not significant to teachers’ efficacy.

USING ROBOTICS AND ENGINEERING DESIGN INQUIRIES TO OPTIMIZE MATHEMATICS LEARNING FOR MIDDLE LEVEL TEACHERS: A CASE STUDY

This exploratory case study reports findings on 20 middle-level science and mathematics teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of a one-year project in which teachers engaged in using robotics and engineering design inquiries in their classrooms. Principled by Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (SLT) and using mixed methods approaches, the study measured teachers' efficacy through the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (MTEBI) and observation logs before and after the program. The results of this study showed statistically significant differences between PRE MTEBI and POST MTEBI scores. Furthermore, five themes emerged that illuminated potential affordances and constraints that teachers perceive as opportunities and barriers to employing robotics and design thinking in the mathematics/science classrooms. The reported themes are creating collaborative spaces underpinned by design thinking affords transformative learning; problem-solving through shared inquiry elevates confidence; building connections between mathematical concepts and real-life phenomenon supports a willingness to learn new ideas; system support, resources, and funding are prerequisites to engage in modeling design; and designated curriculum restrains teachers from engaging in extra activities that focus on design thinking.

Greek Pre-Service Primary Teachers’ Efficacy Beliefs in Science and Mathematics Teaching: Initial Adaptation of the STEBI-B and MTEBI Instruments

<p style="text-align:justify">Contemporary educational reforms, both in the fields of science and mathematics, highlight the importance of pre-service teachers’ preparation with regard to several meaningful standards. However, teachers’ own self-confidence in science and mathematics teaching are likely to influence their efforts. Framed within a growing body of research focusing on pre-service teachers’ efficacy beliefs in science and mathematics teaching, the present study attempts to investigate Greek pre-service primary teachers’ efficacy beliefs in science and mathematics teaching; and further examine whether there is a relationship between the two. Participants comprised 171 pre-service primary teachers, who were in their second (n = 55), third (n = 64) or fourth year (n = 52) of study and the majority were female (n = 148). Pre-service teachers were asked to complete a questionnaire consisting of the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument - Form B (STEBI-B) and the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (MTEBI). Principal component analyses and reliability analyses were performed for both instruments to examine their adaptation into Greek. According to the results, preservice teachers had medium to high scores in the personal efficacy and outcome expectancy scales, for both science and mathematics teaching. Minor differences in pre-service teachers’ scores were detected according to their year of study. Furthermore, pre-service teachers’ efficacy beliefs in science were strongly correlated with their efficacy beliefs in mathematics. In general, although pre-service teachers appeared to be confident and well-prepared to teach science and mathematics in classrooms, more effort is required to put the international education reform standards into practice.</p>

Math and Technology Leadership Academy: Impact on Mathematics Teacher Sense of Efficacy

The Math and Technology Leadership Academy (MTLA) was a three-year initiative awarded by Toyota USA Foundation to advance elementary teachers’ instructional techniques in mathematics, leadership, and technology. Over the three years, fourteen teacher participants of grade levels spanning from kindergarten through sixth grade engaged in three mathematics pedagogy courses and monthly seminars. Teacher participants then implemented the innovative math strategies into their classrooms. This paper will discuss the design of MTLA and the research plan and results. The study found significant results from the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MTEBI) in the Self-Efficacy construct. After three years of participation in MTLA, the teachers in the MTLA demonstrated significantly higher self-efficacy than their control teacher of elementary mathematics; however, both groups of teachers demonstrated similar beliefs about outcomes expectations or the belief that effective mathematics instruction can affect student learning outcomes.

Exploring early childhood preservice teachers’ mathematics anxiety and mathematics efficacy beliefs

Early childhood preservice teachers participated in a qualitative multiple case study to explore and examine the effectiveness of reform-based constructivist methods used in a mathematics methods course to change their mathematics anxiety, mathematics self-efficacy, and mathematics teachers’ efficacy beliefs. Findings indicated that instructor’s use of a variety of reform-based strategies to teach and model concepts were effective in reducing their mathematics anxiety and improving their mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs. Based on these findings, it is recommended that mathematics methods course instructors use reform-based constructivist methods in their courses as outlined by the NCTM’s (2014) principles. Teacher educators must also consider carefully their attitudes and disposition toward mathematics along with the type of classroom and learning environment they establish in mathematics methods courses. They must emphasize conceptual understanding during mathematics methods courses, understand the connection between preservice teachers’ mathematics anxiety and mathematics efficacy beliefs, and integrate field experiences as well as peer teaching opportunities into mathematics methods courses.

The Impact of Teacher Characteristics on Educational Differentiation Practices in Lower Secondary Mathematics Instruction

This study aimed to investigate how teachers’ certification status, experience in instruction, and teachers’ efficacy beliefs for teaching lower secondary students in mathematics are related to differentiated instruction practices. A total of 42 mathematics teachers and 27 special education teachers answered an electronic questionnaire regarding mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs and their frequency of use of differentiation practices. The results indicated that teachers’ efficacy beliefs were related to differentiation in content, flexible examination models, homework support, and co-teaching. Neither certification status nor teacher experience in instruction was related to the frequency of use of differentiation practices. As teacher efficacy beliefs seem to have an effect on the use of differentiation practices, and especially on co-teaching, it should be important for teacher education to focus on developing pre-service teachers’ efficacy beliefs as well as implementing a strong collaboration between different teacher groups.

Validación de la escala de creencias de eficacia en la enseñanza de la matemática (ECEEM) y caracterización de las creencias de estudiantes de pedagogía básica

Considering the relevance of preservice teachers possessing positive beliefs of their future efficacy as teachers and the absence of validated instruments to measure this construct in Chile, this research generated a convergent and factorial validation of the Escala de Creencias de Eficacia en la Ensenanza de la Matematica (ECEEM), the adapted version in Spanish of the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MTEBI), validated in the United States, in 2000. The sample was comprised of 945 preservice elementary school teachers studying in 14 universities from 5 regions corresponding to northern, central and southern Chile. The results indicate that ECEEM showed a good level of discrimination, an adequate adjustment to the proposed theoretical structure, a high reliability and a significant correlation with the expected variables.Thus, it serves as a reliable instrument to measure the mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of preservice primary education teachers. In descriptive terms, the preservice teachers showed positive efficacy beliefs, though not completely satisfactory, since a significant group doubt the possibility of producing meaningful learning opportunities for their students.

The Emphasis of Inquiry Instructional Strategies: Impact on Preservice Teachers’ Mathematics Efficacy

Using a Mixed Methods approach, this study investigated changes in levels of self-efficacy among elementary preservice teachers following a semester course on teaching elementary students’ mathematics. Participants in this study included 347 preservice elementary teachers at a mid-size regional university who had just completed an elementary mathematics methods course. The data were collected from several semester groups. The instruments used were the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument, interview data, and observation data collected during the clinical experience. The focus of this study was to compare the changes in teacher self-efficacy following a methods course that emphasized hands-on mathematics instruction with manipulatives by means of the 5E instructional format. The results of the paired-samples t-test indicated that there was a significant difference in the preservice elementary teachers’ self-efficacy for teaching mathematics after engaging in the elementary methods course. Preservice teachers reported that their understanding of various instructional practices changed significantly from a “tell, show, and do” model to an approach utilizing interactive and engaging activities. They also reported that their attitude toward mathematics had improved significantly and that there had been a direct impact on their confidence for teaching mathematics as a result of the structure of the elementary math methods course.