International Association of Educators   |  ISSN: 2834-7919   |  e-ISSN: 1554-5210
International Journal of Progressive Education
International Association of Educators

Original article | International Journal of Progressive Education 2018, Vol. 14(6) 99-116

Professional Development Through a Web-Based Education System: Opinions of Middle School Mathematics Teachers

Dilek Tanışlı, Gözde Ayber, Nilüfer Köse & Melih Turgut

pp. 99 - 116   |  DOI: https://doi.org/10.29329/ijpe.2018.179.8   |  Manu. Number: MANU-1811-21-0003

Published online: December 31, 2018  |   Number of Views: 1113  |  Number of Download: 1024

Save PDF

Abstract

A web-based education system was designed within the scope of a project to ensure the professional development of middle school mathematics teachers. This system was designed in a way to allow teachers to prepare a Hypothetical Learning Trajectory and lesson plan related to the algebra learning content and also to give feedback to these contents prepared. In this study, it was aimed to determine teachers’ opinions about such web-based education system. In line with this aim, at the end of application, semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve mathematics teachers. In this study, phenomenology, one of the qualitative research designs, was adopted, and thematic analysis was used in the analysis of data. Accordingly, six main themes regarding the process taking place from the design stage to the application stage of the web-based education system were specified to determine the opinions of teachers regarding the system. According to the results obtained, it was observed that teachers generally liked the design of the system. When teachers’ opinions about the strengths and weaknesses of the system are examined, the strengths are the facts that it makes teachers prepare lesson plans and that the system enables to revise these lesson plans prepared in line with the reflective questions and feedback received from moderators. Regarding the weak aspect of the system, only one teacher expressed his/her opinion that integrating the theoretical knowledge in the feedback of moderators into the class does not apply to all learning environments. The general opinion of teachers about their satisfaction with the web-based education system is that they are satisfied with the system. They emphasized that teachers get detailed information about certain algebraic concepts and integrate this information into their teaching thanks to expert opinions they receive. Furthermore, it was observed that teachers agree that the system is useful in recognising their own shortcomings and mistakes.

Keywords: Professional development, Learning trajectory, Web-based education system, Middle school mathematics teachers, Mathematics education

How to Cite this Article?

APA 6th edition
Tanisli, D., Ayber, G., Kose, N. & Turgut, M. (2018). Professional Development Through a Web-Based Education System: Opinions of Middle School Mathematics Teachers . International Journal of Progressive Education, 14(6), 99-116. doi: 10.29329/ijpe.2018.179.8

Harvard
Tanisli, D., Ayber, G., Kose, N. and Turgut, M. (2018). Professional Development Through a Web-Based Education System: Opinions of Middle School Mathematics Teachers . International Journal of Progressive Education, 14(6), pp. 99-116.

Chicago 16th edition
Tanisli, Dilek, Gozde Ayber, Nilufer Kose and Melih Turgut (2018). "Professional Development Through a Web-Based Education System: Opinions of Middle School Mathematics Teachers ". International Journal of Progressive Education 14 (6):99-116. doi:10.29329/ijpe.2018.179.8.
References
  1. Arends, I. R. (1988). Learning to teach. New York: Random House. [Google Scholar]
  2. Ball, D. L., & Cohen, D. K. (1999). Developing practice, developing practitioners: Toward a practice-based theory of professional education. In G. Sykes & L. Darling-Hammond (Eds.), Teaching as the learning Profession: Handbook of Policy and Practice. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.  [Google Scholar]
  3. Ball, D. L., Thames, M.H., & Phelps, G. (2008). Content knowledge for teaching: What makes it special? Journal of Teacher Education, 59(5), 389-407. [Google Scholar]
  4. Baştürk, S., & Dönmez, G. (2011). Investigating mathematics student teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge in the context of knowledge of assessment. Ahi Evran University Kırşehir Education Faculty Journal, 12(3), 17-37. [Google Scholar]
  5. Blackhurst, A. (2002) Effects of mentoring on the employment of experiences and career satisfaction of women student affairs administrators, NASPA Journal, 37, 573–586. [Google Scholar]
  6. Boran, E. & Tarım, K. (2016). The opinions of secondary school mathematics teachers about the lesson study. Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics, 7(1). 259-273. [Google Scholar]
  7. Borko, H., Koellner, K., & Jacobs, J. (2014). Examining novice teacher leaders' facilitation of mathematics professional development. The Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 33, 149-167. [Google Scholar]
  8. Bümen, N., Ateş, A., Çakar, E., Ural, G. & Acar, V. (2012). Professional development of teachers in the context of Turkey: Problems and Suggestions. National Education, 41(194), 31-5. [Google Scholar]
  9. Bütün, M. (2011). Using scenario type interview questions for investigating mathematics teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge structures. Journal of Dicle University, Ziya Gökalp Education Facult, 16, 105-115.  [Google Scholar]
  10. Chien, H. M., Kao, C. P., & Yeh, I. (2012). Examining the relationship between teachers' attitudes and motivation toward web-based professional development: A structural equation modeling approach. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology-TOJET, 11(2), 120-127.  [Google Scholar]
  11. Clark, C. M., & Peterson, P. (1986). Teachers’ thought processes. In M. C. Wittrock (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Teaching (pp.255-296). New York: Macmillan. [Google Scholar]
  12. Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design, qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. California: SAGE Publications.  [Google Scholar]
  13. Creswell, J.W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson.  [Google Scholar]
  14. Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). New York: Sage. [Google Scholar]
  15. Driscoll, A., & Freiberg, J. H. (1996). Universal teaching strategies. London: Allyn & Bacon. [Google Scholar]
  16. Eroğlu, D. (2016). Ortaokul matematik öğretmenlerinin tahmini öğrenme yollarına dayalı öğretimlerindeki pedagojik yollarının desteklenmesi [Supporting middle school mathematics teachers’ pedagogical ways in their teachings based on hypothetical learning trajectories]. (Unpublished PhD thesis, Anadolu University, Eskişehir, Turkey).  [Google Scholar]
  17. Fennema, E., Carpenter, T. P., Franke, M. L., Levi, L., Jacobs, V. R., & Empson, S. B. (1996). A longitudinal study of learning to use children’s thinking in mathematics instruction. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 27(4), 403-434. [Google Scholar]
  18. Frankel, J. R., & Wallen, N. E. (2000). How to design and evaluate research in education. New York: Mc Grawhill, Inc.  [Google Scholar]
  19. Franke, M. L., Carpenter, T. P., Levi, L., & Fennema, E. (2001). Capturing teachers’ generative change: A follow-up study of professional development in mathematics. American Educational Research Journal, 38(3), 653-689. [Google Scholar]
  20. Gann, J.H., & Friel, S.N. (1993). Making change in schools. Arithmetic Teacher, 40(5), 286-289. [Google Scholar]
  21. Goulding, M., Rowland, T., & Barber, P. (2002). Does it matter? Primary teacher trainees' subject knowledge in mathematics. British Educational Research Journal, 28(5), 689-704. [Google Scholar]
  22. Gökkurt, B., & Soylu, Y. (2016). Examination of middle school mathematics teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge: The sample of cone. Elementary Education Online, 15(3), 946-973. [Google Scholar]
  23. Grosemans, I., Boon, A. Verclairen, C. Dochy, F., & Kyndt, E. (2015). Informal learning of primary school teachers: considering the role of teaching experience and school culture. Teaching and Teacher Education, 47, 151-161. [Google Scholar]
  24. Huber, S. G. (2011). The impact of professional development: A theoretical model for empirical research, evaluation, planning and conducting training and development programmes. Professional Development in Education, 37(5), 837-853. [Google Scholar]
  25. Johnson, A. P. (2000). It's time for Madeline Hunter to go: A new look at lesson plan design. Action in Teacher Education, 22(1), 72-78. [Google Scholar]
  26. Jones, K., & O’Brien, J. (2011) Professional development in teacher education: European perspectives. Professional Development in Education, 37(5), 645-650. [Google Scholar]
  27. Kao, C. P., & Tsai, C. C. (2009). Teachers’ attitudes toward web-based professional development, with relation to internet self-efficacy and beliefs about web-based learning. Computers & Education, 53(1), 66-73. [Google Scholar]
  28. Kazemi, E., & Franke, M. L. (2004). Teacher learning in mathematics: Using student work to promote collective inquiry. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 7, 203-235.  [Google Scholar]
  29. Konyalıoğlu, A.C., Konyalıoğlu, S., & Işık, A. (2002). Planned education in mathematics courses. Kastamonu Education Journal, 10(2), 351-358. [Google Scholar]
  30. Liamputtong, P. (2009) Qualitative research methods, 3rd edition. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar]
  31. Miles, M., & Huberman, M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.  [Google Scholar]
  32. Ostroff, C., & Kozlowski, S. W. J. (1993). The role of mentoring in the information gathering processes of newcomers during early organizational socialization. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 42(2), 170-183. [Google Scholar]
  33. Özen, D. (2015). Ortaokul matematik öğretmenlerinin geometrik düşünmelerinin geliştirilmesi: Bir ders imecesi [Development of geometric thinking of elementary school mathematics teachers: A lesson study]. (PhD thesis, Anadolu University, Eskişehir, Turkey). Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ [Google Scholar]
  34. Patel, N., Franco, S., Miura, Y., & Boyd, B. (2012). Including curriculum focus in mathematics professional development for middle-school mathematics teachers. School Science and Mathematics, 112, 300–309. [Google Scholar]
  35. Peterson, P. L., Marx, R. W., & Clark, C. M. (1978). Teacher planning, teacher behavior and student achievement. American Educational Research Journal, 15(3), 417-432. [Google Scholar]
  36. Schoenfeld, A. H. (2006). Problem solving from cradle to grave. Annales de Didactique et de Sciences Cognitives, 11, 41–73. [Google Scholar]
  37. Sherin, M. G. & van Es, E. A. (2009). Effects of video club participation on teachers’ Professional vision. Journal of Teachers Education, 60(1), 20-37.  [Google Scholar]
  38. Simon, M. A. (1995). Reconstructing mathematics pedagogy from a constructivist perspective. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 26(2), 114-145. [Google Scholar]
  39. Simon, M. (2006). Pedagogical concepts as goals for teacher education: Towards an agenda for research in teacher development. S. Alatorre, J.L. Cortina, M. Sáiz, & A. Méndez (Eds.) Proceedings of the Twenty Eighth Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Vol. 2, (pp. 730-735). Mérida, Mexico: Universidad Pedagógica Nacional. [Google Scholar]
  40. Snoek, M., Swennen, A., & Van der Klink, M. (2011) The quality of teacher educators in the European policy debate: actions and measures to improve the professionalism of teacher educators. Professional Development in Education, 37(5), 651-664, [Google Scholar]
  41. Sorcinelli, M. D. & Yun, J. (2007). From mentor to mentoring networks: Mentoring in the new academy. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 39(6), 58-61. [Google Scholar]
  42. Shulman, L.S. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researcher, 15, 4-14. [Google Scholar]
  43. Swars, S.L. (2015). A mixed methods study of teach for America teachers’ mathematical beliefs, knowledge, and classroom teaching practices during a reform-based university mathematics methods course. SRATE Journal, 24(2). 25-39. [Google Scholar]
  44. Sztajn, P., Campbell, M. P., & Yoon, K. S. (2011). Conceptualizing professional development in mathematics: Elements of a model. PNA, 5(3), 83-92. [Google Scholar]
  45. Tanışlı, D., Ayber, G. & Karakuzu, B. (2018). Lesson design ıntegration of the middle school mathematics teachers into teaching. Anadolu Journal of Educational Sciences International, 8(2), 514-567. [Google Scholar]
  46. Waheed, H., Salami, A. B., Ali, D. O., Dahlan, A., & Rahman, A. (2011). Collaborative web-based teacher professional development system: A new direction for teacher professional development in Malaysia. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1(7), 208-216. [Google Scholar]
  47. Wieland, W. (2011). Continuing professional development in context: Teachers' continuing professional development culture in Germany and Sweden. Professional Development in Education, 37(5), 665-683.  [Google Scholar]
  48. Wilson, P. P., Pereire, A., & Valentine, D. (2002). Perceptions of new social work faculty about mentoring experiences. Journal of Social Work Education, 38(2), 317-332.  [Google Scholar]
  49. Van Manen, M. (2007). Phenomenology of practice. Phenomenology & Practice, 1(1), 11 – 30. [Google Scholar]
  50. Yıldırım, A. (2013). Teacher education research in Turkey: Trends, issues and priority areas. Education and Science, 38(169), 175-191.   [Google Scholar]
  51. Zembat, İ. Ö. (2016). Mathematics teaching cycle and hypothetical learning trajectories. E. Bingölbali, S. Arslan & İ. Ö. Zembat (Eds.), In Theories in Mathematics Education (pp.509-518). Ankara: Pegem Academy. [Google Scholar]
Download
Metric
History
Related

Volume 14 Issue 6

December 2018

All Articles

International Journal of Progressive Education

International Association of Educators.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License.
Privacy policy     |     Terms of Use     |     Use of Cookies
Creative Commons Lisansı
© 2012 - 2024 - THDSoft e-Journal Management System.