ERIC Number: EJ1094775
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1366-4530
EISSN: N/A
Contribution of Mathematics In-Service Training Course to the Professional Development of Elementary School Teachers in Israel
Mishal, Adina; Patkin, Dorit
Teacher Development, v20 n2 p253-274 2016
The present study aimed to explore the contribution of a mathematics in-service training course to elementary school teachers (1st-6th grades) in Israel. The study was conducted among 449 educators. They were required to respond to background questions. Moreover, they were asked to indicate their expectations from the in-service training course and, at its end, point out to what extent they benefitted from that course. The research findings illustrate that educators who teach mathematics at elementary school and attended the course are generally women in their 40s, holding a BEd degree and a teaching certificate "not" in mathematics, with an average 13-year seniority. The participating teachers indicated their wish to enrich their didactic knowledge in order to acquire varied tools for teaching mathematics to the entire pupil population as well as to gifted pupils and pupils with learning difficulties. Nevertheless, their demand to expand their mathematics knowledge was very limited. Based on the fact that most teachers have no mathematics education, this is a surprising finding as, in order to be a good teacher, one must be versed not only in Pedagogical Content Knowledge but also in Subject Matter Knowledge.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Elementary School Teachers, Inservice Teacher Education, Mathematics Instruction, Professional Development, Questionnaires, Likert Scales, Teacher Attitudes, Expectation, Educational Benefits, Education Courses, Teacher Characteristics, Gender Differences, Females, Age, Bachelors Degrees, Teacher Certification, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Mathematics Education, Prior Learning, Educational Background, Teaching Skills, Teacher Competencies, Teacher Motivation
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Elementary Education; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Israel
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A