Professional development for using technology in mathematics teaching
Abstract
The Ghanaian mathematics curriculum expects teachers to adopt technologies as an instructional tool to assist students to learn mathematics relationally. Teachers’ dispositions (knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes) towards technology are critical in translating the curriculum intention into practice. This thesis explores how professional development influences the participant teachers’ dispositions towards the use of technologies in mathematics teaching within the context of senior high schools in Ghana. In this professional development model, the participant teachers worked in teams to develop and enact GeoGebra-based mathematics lessons with support from expert, exemplary materials, and demonstration lessons. Findings are triangulated from self-report survey, interviews, focus group discussions, lesson plans and lesson observations to provide concrete picture of how participant teachers develop their dispositions towards technology integration in mathematics. It is hoped the model of professional development will provide a promising approach of engaging teachers in technology integration within Ghana and countries that share similar context.
Supervisors
Dr Chris Linsell (Primary supervisor)
Dr Naomi Ingram (Co-supervisor)
