Secondary School Mathematics Teachers Research Articles

Educational Game Design Experiences of Secondary School Preservice Mathematics Teachers

In this study, it was aimed to reveal the mathematical games designed by secondary school preservice mathematics teachers and their views on this process. The participants of the study, in which a case study, one of the qualitative research designs, was used, consisted of 45 pre-service secondary school mathematics teachers who took the Teaching Mathematics with Games course. The data obtained from the study were subjected to descriptive and content analysis. According to the results obtained from the study, while the majority of the games were designed as board/card games, the most preferred learning area was numbers and operations. In addition, according to the grade levels, the most games were designed for the 8th grade and the least for the 5th grade level. In the process of mathematical game design, pre-service teachers mostly aim to provide meaningful learning, develop procedural skills, reinforce what has been learned, and make learning mathematics fun. In addition, although the pre-service teachers experienced some difficulties during the game design process, it was determined that this process affected them positively in cognitive, affective, and pedagogical terms.

Teachers in Math Lessons in the Digital Age: The Real Face of Distance Education

The COVID-19 pandemic has made distance education compulsory for all students in primary, secondary, and higher education in Türkiye. This situation has brought about many changes in teaching methods, material use, assessment and evaluation processes, and course durations. This study investigates the effects of these changes on secondary school mathematics teachers and their experiences and difficulties adaptation processes. This study conducted using a qualitative approach as a case study, included 75 secondary school mathematics teachers working in Türkiye in the 2020–2021 academic year. The data collection process was conducted online with a semi-structured interview form via Google Form. The obtained data were evaluated by content analysis. According to the findings of the research, teachers tend to provide skill-based questions as homework during the distance education process, rather than the lesson. Teachers who have negative judgments about assessment-evaluation processes find the course durations in distance education insufficient. Teachers who use different motivation tools in the distance education process, on the one hand, think that the process improves them; on the other hand, they expressed their concerns in terms of professional development. Teachers need more support and training to cope with the difficulties they face in the distance education process. In addition, they should be supported to improve themselves in online assessment and evaluation strategies and increase student participation.

Matematik Öğretmenlerinin Dinamik Geometri Yazılımı Temelli Acil Uzaktan Öğretim Sürecine Özgü Orkestrasyon Tiplerinin İncelenmesi

The aim of this study is to examine secondary school mathematics teachers’ orchestration types specific to their dynamic geometry software-based emergency remote teaching. The theoretical lens of the study is instrumental orchestration in which teachers’ teaching styles with the use of technological tools are defined as orchestration types. The study was designed as a case study whose participants were two secondary school mathematics teachers (Faruk and Ela) experienced in the use of dynamic geometry software in their face-to-face teaching processes. Semi-structured interviews and observations were performed in order to collect the data in the study. The collected data were analyzed through qualitative content analysis method. The results of the study reveal that the teachers developed two new orchestration types during the emergency remote teaching process While Faruk developed the Teacher-in-sherpa-role orchestration in which the teacher performed the operations asked by the students; both teachers performed the Screen-as-board in which they used virtual pen to draw auxiliary lines, place marks and take notes on the screen. In addition, Ela adapted the Monitor-and-guide orchestration into her teaching process, in which a student-monitoring system regarding dynamic geometry activities played an essential role. The results show that various orchestration types identified in the literature do not occur in the remote teaching processes due to their characteristics regarding the physical classroom environment. It is suggested that further studies focus to examine the orchestration types developed by mathematics teachers in the post-pandemic remote teaching processes.

Investigation of Secondary School Mathematics Teachers’ Processes of Preparing Mathematical Modelling Activities

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the mathematical modelling activity preparation processes of secondary school mathematics teachers who participated in mathematical modelling training. The study was conducted with six mathematics teachers working in secondary schools. In the study designed as action research, two action plans were applied to the teachers. The first activity forms collected from the teachers before the application, the second activity forms collected as a result of the theoretical training about modelling and the activity forms collected at the end of the active participation of the teachers in the modelling activities constitute the data source of this study. An activity evaluation form was used in data analysis. The results of the study showed that teachers initially had deficiencies in preparing modelling activities in accordance with all criteria. After the theoretical training given, it was determined that teachers’ competencies in preparing modelling activities improved very little. In addition to theoretical training, it was seen that the learning environment prepared to ensure teachers’ active participation in modelling activities affected their activity preparation competencies more positively. The results show that teachers’ theoretical knowledge deficiencies should be eliminated in modelling teaching and learning environments should be prepared for their active participation in mathematical modelling activities.

Deep learning algorithm-oriented blended teaching in secondary school mathematics courses in ethnic areas

Abstract To provide teaching assistance to secondary school mathematics teachers in ethnic areas and improve the teaching effectiveness of mathematics courses, a hybrid teaching model based on deep learning algorithms is proposed. Convolutional neural networks and joint probability matrix decomposition are fused to design teaching resource recommendation methods, and hybrid teaching is carried out according to three stages: before, during, and after class. The overall mean of the questionnaire for the experimental class improved from 2.39 to 3.01, and the pass rate, merit rate, and mean score of mathematics scores increased by 13.79%, 9.02%, and 15.17 points, respectively. This method enables educational technology to be effective in mathematics curriculum and improve the quality and information of mathematics education in ethnic areas.

Pandemi Sürecinde Ortaokul Matematik Öğretmenlerinin Dijital Okuryazarlık Öz Yeterlikleri, E-öğrenmeye Hazırbulunuşlukları, Teknoloji Kabul Düzeyleri ve Uzaktan Eğitime Yönelik Tutumlarının İncelenmesi

In this study, digital literacy self-efficacy, e-learning readiness, technology acceptance levels, and attitudes towards distance education of secondary school mathematics teachers during the pandemic were examined. 108 secondary school mathematics teachers from Uşak province and its districts, affiliated with the Ministry of National Education, selected through a convenient sampling method participated in the study. The data collection tools included a personal information form, a "Digital Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale", the "E-learning Readiness Scale," the "Technology Acceptance Scale for Teachers", and the "Scale of Attitude towards Distance Education". Descriptive statistics for data analysis, t-test for correlational samples, single-factor analysis of variance, and multiple correlation analysis were used in the study. It was concluded in the study that secondary school mathematics teachers' digital literacy self-efficacy levels, e-learning readiness levels, and technology acceptance levels were high and their attitudes towards distance education were moderate. No significant difference was found between the scores of the teachers from the scales and the variables of gender, professional seniority, and education status related to distance education. A positive and high correlation was determined between secondary school mathematics teachers' digital literacy self-efficacy and their e-learning readiness, a moderate positive correlation between their technology acceptance levels, and a low negative correlation between their attitudes towards distance education. Furthermore, a moderate positive correlation was found between their e-learning readiness and technology acceptance, while a low positive correlation between their attitudes towards distance education

“Examples” from the Perspective of Secondary School Mathematics Teacher Candidates

Öğretim sürecinde kullanılan örneklerin seçimi birçok faktörün düşünülmesini gerektirdiği için öğretmeni karmaşık ve zor bir mücadele içine sürüklemektedir. Öğretmen adaylarının öğretmenlik eğitimi aldıkları süreçte örneklerin kullanımı ve türleri hakkında bilgi sahibi olmaları ve buna yönelik bir eğitim almaları onların gelecekte derslerinde kullanacakları örnekleri daha bilinçli seçmelerine yardımcı olacaktır. Bununla birlikte halen üniversitelerde öğrenim gören ilköğretim matematik öğretmeni adaylarının örnekler ile ilgili düşüncelerinin tespiti ile var olan bilgilerini ortaya çıkarmak, varsa kavram yanılgılarını tespit etmek ve buna yönelik çözüm önerileri geliştirmek önem arz etmektedir. Bu nedenle bu çalışmada ilköğretim matematik öğretmeni adaylarının örnek kavramı ile ilgili düşüncelerini tespit etmek amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmada nitel araştırma desenlerinden durum çalışması yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın katılımcılarını bir devlet üniversitesinin ilköğretim matematik öğretmenliği programı 2. sınıfında öğrenim görmekte olan 34 öğretmen adayı oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmanın verileri 2020-2021 akademik yılı bahar döneminde araştırmacılar tarafından hazırlanan yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu ile toplanmıştır. Elde edilen veriler içerik analizi tekniğinden yararlanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Araştırmanın sonucunda öğretmen adaylarının örnek kavramı hakkında yeterince bilgi sahibi olmadıkları belirlenmiştir. Katılımcıların, örneğin kullanım amaçları hakkında bilgilerinin kısmen olduğu fakat örneklerin çeşitleri hakkında yeterli bilgiye sahip olmadıkları tespit edilmiştir. Aynı zamanda öğretmen adaylarının büyük bir çoğunluğunun örnek ve soru kavramları arasındaki farkı bilmedikleri sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.

Mathematical benefits of a language-friendly pedagogical tool: a praxeological analysis of teachers’ perceptions and practices

ABSTRACT In this paper, we report on data from 40 middle and secondary school mathematics teachers and teacher candidates as they begin to articulate the intersection of language-friendly pedagogy, mathematics teaching, and a multilingual technological tool by way of a two-hour introductory workshop. We use an Anthropological Theory of the Didactic which recognises that mathematics instruction and language instruction are done differently under distinct institutional conditions (curriculum, culture, language, etc.) to analyse our data. Our findings suggest that teachers’ beliefs and perspectives regarding their multilingual students guide their choices about how to use a powerful digital multilingual platform to either remediate what they perceive as deficits in their students or leverage the assets of multilingual learners.

How Permeable Are the Beliefs of Future Secondary School Mathematics Teachers to Pre-Service Experiences? Looking Across Their Years of Training

Even though it has been recognized that prospective teachers’ conceptions of the nature of mathematics, and of mathematics learning and teaching shape their teaching decisions, and, thereby, students’ engagement and achievement, to date no research has examined these conceptions from a person-centered perspective taking into account year of teacher education program. Cluster analysis revealed three distinct profiles: anti-socioconstructivist, socioconstructivist, and flexible. Although the same driving dimensions were present at the different stages of the training, the characterization of these three profiles fluctuated, in tandem with the process of construction of a professional identity, the increase of the field experience and the discovery of the complexities of the profession. The analysis of the pedagogical practices support the non-linearity of the beliefs-practices relationship.

An investigation on the thinking structures and proof-writing levels of future mathematics teachers

In this study, it is aimed to reveal what kind of relationship exists between prospective teachers’ thinking structures and their level of writing proofs. This study was carried out as a case study. The study was carried out with 82 prospective teachers enrolled in the Department of Secondary School Mathematics Teaching of a state university located in the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey. The first data collection is the mathematical processing instrument developed by Presmeg (1986). The second data collection was developed by the researcher and consists of five proofs that are also covered in the curriculum about the geometric shapes circle and circular region. As a result, when the thinking structures of the participants are examined, it can be understood that harmonic thinking is the most common thinking type among the study participants. When the proof-writing levels in this study are looked at, it becomes obvious that most of the prospective teachers are weak in terms of this skill. In this study, the participants’ proof-writing levels and thinking structures were found to be correlated.

Noticing of argumentation: A comparison between pre-service and in-service secondary-school mathematics teachers

This study compares pre-service mathematics teachers’ (PSMTs) and in-service mathematics teachers’ (ISMTs) noticing of argumentation at the secondary-school level. Thirty-five PSMTs and 32 ISMTs engaged in analyzing argumentation classroom situations (ACSs) using an ACS-report format emphasizing two sub-skills of noticing: attending and interpretation. Analysis of the participants’ ACS reports revealed differences between the two research groups. The ISMTs paid a high level of attention to all four aspects: ‘co-constructing of arguments’, ‘critiquing arguments’, ‘mutual respect’, and ‘working toward consensus-building’, whereas the PSMTs paid a high level of attention to ‘mutual respect’ and ‘co-constructing of arguments’ aspects only. In terms of interpretation, the ISMTs outperformed the PSMTs in interpreting the argumentation through the lenses of ‘task characteristics’, ‘teaching strategies’, and ‘student cognitive characteristics’. The findings are interpreted in light of both theory and practice.

The Readiness and Competence of Secondary School Mathematics Teachers in Implementing Distance Learning

The Readiness and Competence of Secondary School Mathematics Teachers in Implementing Distance Learning

A Digital Storytelling Workshop with Mathematics Teachers

This study presents reflections from an online Digital Storytelling Workshop conducted with mathematics teachers. In the study, which was designed as a qualitative case study, the participants comprised four people studying for a master’s degree at a state university in Turkey and who also worked as mathematics teachers in secondary schools. Data were collected through online lesson recordings, a semi-structured interview form, participants’ reflective diaries, and digital stories prepared during the process. Content analysis was used in the analysis of the data. According to the results of the research, it was determined that the participants had the most difficulty in creating a dramatic question and adding multimedia. It was seen that they paid more attention to the dramatic question, sound, and music elements while evaluating sample digital stories. They mentioned time-saving in terms of the advantages of holding the workshop online, and the fact that interaction was limited regarding the disadvantages. They stated that the workshop mostly benefited them in terms of technology. They reported that due to the disruptions experienced in online education, they used the prepared digital stories limitedly in their own classrooms, and stated they could not receive sufficient feedback. They also stated that in the event that they could use digital stories in mathematics classes, they would benefit students in various ways. The digital stories prepared at the end of the workshop were examined, and it was seen that there was an improvement in all participants

Secondary-school teachers’ noticing of aspects of mathematics teaching talk in the context of one-day workshops

In a research project with one-day teacher education workshops for secondary-school mathematics teachers, our study explores the potential of tool-supported discussions in helping them to notice important and critical aspects of mathematics teaching talk. Mathematical practices of naming and explaining in teaching talk, students’ content learning challenges, and noticing processes of identifying, interpreting and deciding are the components of our framework and the tools that guided the design and implementation of three workshops on linear equations, fractions and plane isometries. The data was collected during the discussions with the seven teachers and the teacher educator throughout these workshops. The coding of the discussions allowed us to see discourse moves that reveal the teachers’ noticing of: (i) challenges in the identification of mathematical naming, (ii) mathematical explaining that voices the students’ learning, (iii) classroom practice in relation to mathematical naming and explaining.

Teacher emotions are linked with teaching quality: Cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence from two field studies

BackgroundThere is compelling theoretical reasoning that teachers’ emotions and their instructional behaviors are linked. However, previous research on this link has been sparse and burdened with small sample sizes, cross-sectional designs, and dominated by single-source data. AimThe present research examines the relationships between teacher emotions and teaching quality by complementing data across two studies based on different samples, research designs, and education contexts. SamplesParticipants were Croatian secondary school teachers (N = 865) and their students (N = 14,335) across a range of school subjects in Study 1, and German secondary school mathematics teachers (N = 92) and their students (N = 1,443) in Study 2. MethodsStudy 1 was based on a cross-sectional design, whereas Study 2 used longitudinal data across three time points. In both studies, teachers reported on their teaching-related enjoyment, anger, and anxiety, while students rated indicators of their teachers’ teaching quality, namely, cognitive activation, classroom management, and student support. ResultsTeacher emotions and teaching quality were modestly related cross-sectionally and more strongly longitudinally. Specifically, teacher enjoyment was positively related to teaching quality, whereas teacher anger and anxiety were negatively related to teaching quality. Moreover, teacher emotions at the beginning of a schoolyear predicted teaching quality as rated by students at mid-term, while teaching quality predicted end-of-year teacher emotions even after controlling their beginning-of-year baseline levels. ConclusionsThe association between teacher emotions and teaching quality persists and unfolds over time – teacher emotions predict teaching quality which in turn predicts teacher emotions.

Lisansüstü Eğitim Gören Matematik Öğretmenlerinin Tasarladıkları Matematik Okuryazarlığı Sorularının İncelenmesi

This study aimed to examine the mathematical literacy questions designed by mathematics teachers with a postgraduate degree on mathematical literacy, in relation to the categories of mathematical content, real-life context, and mathematical processes, which are all defined as the dimensions of the PISA mathematical literacy framework. Another aim of the study is to investigate the appropriateness of the classifications made by mathematics teachers for the mathematical literacy questions they designed. The design of the study is a case study in qualitative research methods. The participants of the study consisted of six secondary school mathematics teachers, who had attended a postgraduate mathematical literacy course in Turkey. Data were obtained from eighteen questions on mathematical literacy designed by six participants and from the classifications made for the questions. As a result of the study, the majority of the questions designed by the participants turned out to fall in the category of ‘change and relationships’ and questions related to the real-life situations were mostly designed in the category of ‘personal’ context, with the least number of questions designed in the ‘scientific’ and ‘societal’ contexts. When the questions were examined in terms of the mathematical processes, most of them appeared to include all three categories of mathematical processes.

Contribution of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Training Programme on Rwandan Secondary School Mathematics and Science Teachers’ Pedagogical, Technological, and Content knowledge

Contribution of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Training Programme on Rwandan Secondary School Mathematics and Science Teachers’ Pedagogical, Technological, and Content knowledge

Classroom Assessment Thoughts, Skills, and Practices of Secondary School Mathematics Teachers: An In-Depth Analysis

Classroom Assessment Thoughts, Skills, and Practices of Secondary School Mathematics Teachers: An In-Depth Analysis

Examination of Projects Prepared by Prospective Secondary School Mathematics Teachers Using Scratch

The aim of this study is to examine the projects prepared by prospective secondary school mathematics teachers using Scratch for the learning outcomes in the Mathematics Course Curriculum (Secondary School 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades) in terms of the proficiency level of programming concepts and computational thinking concepts. 73 prospective secondary school mathematics teachers participated in this research in which the case study design was used. Prospective teachers prepared Scratch projects related to the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade level learning outcomes of the Mathematics Course Curriculum. A total of 292 Scratch projects were examined within the scope of the research. Scratch projects were evaluated through the "Scratch Projects Assessment Rubric" and the "Dr. Scratch Assessment Tool". The result of the research showed that most of the criteria in the "Scratch Projects Assessment Rubric" were provided in more projects than at the beginning as new projects were developed by the prospective teachers at different grade levels every week. Nevertheless, it was evident from the Dr. Scratch evaluation that as the prospective instructors utilized the Scratch program, the level of proficiency of the projects they created is improved. It is recognized that this beneficial development has occurred because of the rise in the number of potential instructors who have experience with the Scratch program.

PENGETAHUAN TEKNOLOGI PEDAGOGI KANDUNGAN GURU MATEMATIK SEKOLAH MENENGAH

The purpose of this research was to identify the level of technological pedagogical content knowledge of secondary school mathematics teachers. This study also aimed to find out the differences in those variables from the aspect of gender and teaching experience. The questionnaire was administered to 248 mathematics teachers from 22 secondary schools in the West Coast Zone of Sabah, Malaysia. The results of the study showed that the technological pedagogical content knowledge of secondary school mathematics teachers was at high level (M=4.071, SD=0.540). The Welch t-test results showed that there was no significant difference in technological pedagogical content knowledge based on gender (p= .0560, p> .05). The one-way ANOVA analysis also showed that there was no difference in technological pedagogical content knowledge based on the teaching experience. The findings of this study are useful as a guide for stakeholders to plan relevant strategies and training for mathematics teachers in implementing teaching and learning. This study implicated that teachers regardless of gender and teaching experience, need to remain committed in planning and implementing their teaching based on the element found in the technological pedagogical content knowledge framework.