Date of Award

10-1-1995

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Teaching & Learning

Abstract

A teacher insertive program has been developed to prepare elementary teachers for classroom implementation of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards along with research-based teaching strategies. Two 2-week institutes, in the summer of 1993, prepared teachers to implement changes in teaching strategies and mathematics content in their classrooms. During the following academic year, the teachers attended three seminars, to receive assistance and support as they implemented their plan for curricular and pedagogical change. The study focused on 47 kindergarten through sixth grade teachers during the first year of the program.The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the summer institute and school year follow-up on the behavior and attitude of elementary teachers. Data were collected in three ways. Teachers in the program completed a questionnaire at the beginning of the summer workshop, a second questionnaire, with parallel questions, at the end of the workshop, and a third similar questionnaire at the end of a year of teaching. Also, at the end of a full year of teaching, they completed a narrative survey.An analysis of the data indicated significant change in several areas. In the area of mathematics content teachers were providing their students more experience with geometry, probability and prediction, and data collection and analysis. In the area of teaching aids, they indicated less use of textbooks and workbooks, and increased use of calculators, manipulatives, games and enrichment materials, and the overhead projector. A significant increase was also found in the use of several teaching strategies for mathematics instruction such as cooperative learning, technology, manipulatives, student journals, projects, and graphic organizers. Increased comfort was indicated for a wide variety of mathematics topics as well as for the use of the calculator and manipulatives as instructional aids. The use of the calculator increased significantly in classes other than mathematics and there was a significant increase in teachers pointing to mathematics in other subject matter areas.

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