Enhancing mathematics teacher professional learning through a contextualized professional development program

ABSTRACT This study investigated the impact of a year-long professional development (PD) program on mathematics teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and practice. The PD program of the study was designed to connect mathematics teachers’ learning and teaching practice through integrating situated aspects of the teaching profession and teachers’ reflections. Data was collected from three cohorts of teachers across three program years. Results from repeated-measures ANCOVA show changes in self-efficacy, epistemological beliefs, and math pedagogical knowledge. Teachers’ content knowledge decreased in the first-year group but increased for teachers in Year 2 and 3 cohorts. Teaching practice improved about one standard deviation along the indices measured. Multiple regression results show that teachers’ self-efficacy and epistemological beliefs influenced their practice. The discussion includes assessing links between PD design and its effectiveness in influencing knowledge, belief, and practice change, as well as making the case for future PD programs to consider targeting multiple interconnected teacher outcomes.