Teacher Professional Development Programs in

Palestine: Changing Beliefs and Practices

Gretchen RossmanOla M Khalili

Ramallah-PalestineAugust-1-2010

The problem Purpose of the study Research questions Theoretical framework Research methodology Research context Findings Limitations Recommendations

Outline

The characteristics of current teachers.

The objectives of current TPDPs.

The Problem

Describe and analyze the process of TPDPs.

Explore the beliefs that different groups of stakeholders hold about mathematics and mathematics teaching and learning

Describe the interaction between the previous two objectives.

Purpose of the Study

1. What do TPDPs for mathematics teachers look like in Palestine?

2. What do Palestinian teachers, teacher trainers, and policy makers believe about mathematics and mathematics teaching?

3. What is the correspondence or gap between: Teachers’ and trainers’ beliefs? Teachers’ and policy makers’ beliefs? The participants’ beliefs and principles of

effective mathematics teaching

Research Questions

Beliefs• Math and

math teaching

• Self-efficacy• Beliefs and

practices

TPDPs• Characteristi

cs of effective TPDPs

Beliefs and TPDPs• Changing

beliefs and practices through TPDPs

Theoretical Framework

Beliefs• Math and

math teaching

• Self-efficacy• Beliefs and

practices

TPDPs• Characteristi

cs of effective TPDPs

Beliefs and TPDPs• Changing

beliefs and practices through TPDPs

Theoretical Framework

Skemp (1978) Lerman (1983) Kuhs and Ball (1986) Ernest (1989), (1994)

Instrumental Absolutist Content focused with emphasis on performance

Instrumental

Content focused with emphasis on conceptual understanding

Platonic

Classroom focused

Relational Fallibilist Learner focused Problem solving

1.1Beliefs about the nature of mathematics

Evidences from research correlate between teachers’ sense of self-efficacy and their:

willingness to apply non-traditional teaching methods.

beliefs about teaching.

1.2 Self-Efficacy

Teachers’ practices reflect their beliefs.

Teachers’ practices are influenced by other factors besides their beliefs.

1.3 The relation between teachers’ beliefs and practices

Beliefs• Math and

math teaching

• Self-efficacy• Beliefs and

practices

TPDPs• Characteristi

cs of effective TPDPs

Beliefs and TPDPs• Changing

beliefs and practices through TPDPs

Theoretical Framework

TPDPs

TraditionalDeveloping

stageImplementing

stage

Job-embedded

After implementing

2. TPDPs

Beliefs• Math and

math teaching

• Self-efficacy• Beliefs and

practices

TPDPs• Characteristi

cs of effective TPDPs

Beliefs and TPDPs• Changing

beliefs and practices through TPDPs

Theoretical Framework

Assimilation and accommodation (Paiget, 1952)

Conceptual change process (Kagan, 1992)

Elicitation and construction (Fenstermacher and Richardson, 1993)

Schema theory (Timperley and Robinson, 2001)

3. Changing beliefs and practices through TPDPs

MOEHE

2-district offices/West Bank

Research Context

Qualitative approach

◦ Interviews

◦ Document analysis

Research Methodology

GenderPosition

Male Female

Policy makers 4 1Supervisors 2 4Training developers

1 1

Principals 2 2Mathematics teachers

2 4

Total 11 12

Interviews/ The participants

Training manuals

Policy documents

•Standards for teachers

•Standards for TPDPs

Document analysis

1. The process of developing, implementing, and following-up TPDPs

2. Beliefs about mathematics and mathematics teaching

3. Policy documents vs. TPDPs and policies

Findings

Reforms and suggested changes in practice should emerge as a result of interaction between different stakeholders.

Up-grade trainers’ qualifications and methods of training.

The necessity of integrating subject-matter knowledge with PCK.

1. The process of developing, implementing, and following-up TPDPs.

There is a need for systematic follow-up procedures during and after TPDPs.

Rethink the current approaches in TPDPs.

The process of developing, implementing, and following-up TPDPs.

Emphasize one domain of the mathematical knowledge (training documents)

Instrumental view of mathematics• Teacher role: instructor

• Student role: respond to teachers’ instruction

• Curriculum: determine what should be taught and how

2. Beliefs about mathematics and mathematics teaching

3. Policy documents vs. TPDPs and policies

Assessment practices

Reflective practice

The curriculum

Teachers’ qualification

Policy docu

ments

TPDPs

Policies

The study did not collect data about the actual implementation of TPDPs.

The study did not measure the actual impact of TPDPs.

No generalization can be made of the collected data

Limitations of the Study

Alternative approaches in TPDPs

Supportive policies that encourage and sustain the process of teacher change

More studies to investigate teachers’ and supervisors’ beliefs about mathematics and mathematics teaching

Recomendations

THANK YOU

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