A Longitudinal Study of Elementary Pre-service Teachers' Mathematics Beliefs and Content Knowledge
Department
Mathematics
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-2007
Abstract
This study investigated the mathematics beliefs and content knowledge of 103 elementary pre-service teachers in a developmental teacher preparation program that included a two course mathematics methods sequence. Pre-service teachers' pedagogical beliefs became more cognitively-oriented during the teacher preparation program with these changes occurring during the two methods courses. Pedagogical beliefs remained stable during student teaching. The pre-service teachers also significantly increased their personal efficacy for teaching mathematics throughout the program with these shifts occurring across both methods courses and into student teaching. Pedagogical beliefs and teaching efficacy beliefs were not related at the beginning of the program, but, in general, were positively related throughout the program. In addition, the pre-service teachers' pedagogical beliefs were positively related to their specialized content knowledge for teaching mathematics at the end of the program.
Journal Title
School Science and Mathematics
Journal ISSN
0036-6803
Volume
107
Issue
8
First Page
325
Last Page
335
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1111/j.1949-8594.2007.tb17797.x