Award Date

August 2017

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Teaching and Learning

First Committee Member

Jeffrey C. Shih

Second Committee Member

Travis A. Olson

Third Committee Member

Jane McCarthy

Fourth Committee Member

LeAnn G. Putney

Number of Pages

169

Abstract

A professional development program (PSPD) was implemented to improve in-service secondary mathematics teachers’ content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and self-efficacy in teaching secondary school statistics and probability. Participants generated a teaching resource website at the conclusion of the PSPD program. Participants’ content knowledge change and self-efficacy change were measured. After PSPD, three participants were selected to represent three types of change. Teachers’ classroom instructions were video-taped and analyzed to explore the enactment of PSPD components, such as activities and concepts. Interviews were conducted to assess factors that facilitated teachers’ change and the enactment of PSPD components. Preservice teachers who majored in secondary mathematics education were asked to evaluate the teaching resource website that PSPD participants generated. Their applications of content in this website and feedback to this website were analyzed.

Case study research method was adopted in this study. Findings revealed that PSPD participants’ self-efficacy in teaching statistics and probability improved significantly. There was a moderate positive relationship between in-service teachers’ statistical content knowledge and self-efficacy in teaching statistics and probability. PSPD participants’ utilization of PD components may be influenced by school conditions, the characteristics of PD materials, and whether teachers perceive and accept PD content. Six out of 17 preservice teachers utilized materials in the teaching resource website in their lesson plans. Preservice teachers preferred teaching resources that were ready-to-use and easy to access.

Keywords

mathematics education; probability; professional development; statistics education; teacher education

Disciplines

Education | Science and Mathematics Education | Teacher Education and Professional Development

File Format

pdf

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Download


Share

COinS