This mixed methods case study investigated mathematics teachers‘ perspectives of the effects of the Lesson Study Process on their content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and the potential for students‘ achievement. The population was 55 teachers from elementary, middle, and secondary schools in a metropolitan area. The three research questions guiding this study were: (1) What are the perspectives of teachers on the impact of the Lesson Study Process on their mathematical content knowledge? (2) What are the perspectives of teachers on the impact of the Lesson Study Process on their pedagogical knowledge? (3) What are the perspectives of teachers on the potential impact of the Lesson Study Process on their students‘ achievement? Literature pertaining to constructivism, teacher professional development, and Lesson Study was reviewed. Data from surveys, questionnaires, and focus group sessions were examined both quantitatively and qualitatively to determine common categories, themes, and connections to each of the research questions. The teachers believed that their mathematics content knowledge was positively affected in the areas of deeper understanding which led to an increase in self-confidence. The teachers also believed that their pedagogical knowledge was enhanced in the areas of planning and attention to student thinking. Finally, the teachers mentioned five areas for potential improvement in students‘ achievement. They included: students‘ increased conceptual understanding of the topics taught during the research lessons, planning lessons more thoroughly by making them relevant to the students‘ daily lives and planning it within the context of the state‘s curriculum, shifting the focus of an in-class observation from the teacher‘s performance to student thinking, and a similar shifting of the manner in which students are assessed—from right/wrong answers to seeking thought processes whereby the student may correct misunderstanding.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The focus of this study is on the Foundation Phase mathematical and pedagogical knowledge construction. This study is about how two lecturers and a number of final year B.Ed. Foundation Phase student teachers construct Foundation Phase mathematical and pedagogical knowledge during the initial teacher education programme. The initial B.Ed. Foundation Phase teacher education provides student teachers with different mathematical knowledge for teaching. A Foundation Phase mathematics pedagogical knowledge construction framework was utilised to generate and analyse data. The Foundation Phase mathematics pedagogical knowledge construction framework is developed with the assumption that the integrated learning knowledge and the process of pedagogical reasoning action is a continuous process. Furthermore, it is assumed that student teachers’ active participation in their learning and paddling through the pedagogical reasoning action process, leads to the construction of Foundation Phase mathematical pedagogical knowledge. The study utilised a qualitative case study design to investigate how two initial teacher education programmes construct Foundation Phase mathematical pedagogical knowledge in their programme to prepare student teachers to teach Foundation Phase mathematics. Data were collected from Foundation Phase mathematics lecturers through semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews with final year Foundation Phase student teachers as well as document analysis from the institutions to achieve triangulation. Data analysis and findings were based on themes and categories that emerged. The findings suggest that Foundation Phase mathematical and pedagogical knowledge construction is an interconnected and continuous process that includes different types of knowledge and pedagogical reasoning. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted

This study explored the link between teachers’ inputs and process and students’ academic achievement in Junior Secondary Certificate (JSC) Mathematics for the period 2006 to 2010.The outcome (teacher effectiveness) was obtained by means of value added measures (students’ aggregate JSC Mathematics scores for 2006 to 2010 by school). One hundred and fifty JSC schools out of a total of 573 constituted the units of analysis for the study. The data regarding teachers were obtained by means of self-administered questionnaires, and JSC Mathematics results from 2006 to 2010 were obtained from the Directorate of National Examinations and Assessment (DNEA). Multi-correlation and regression techniques at alpha =0.001; 0.05 and 0.10 were used to analyse the link between teachers’ inputs and processes, and students’ academic achievement in JSC Mathematics. The null hypotheses formulated for the study were tested at the 0.05 (5%) level of significance. In summary, it appears that the various aspects of teachers’ inputs (teachers’ educational qualifications, teaching experience, subject specialisation etc.), processes (standards-based professional development, standards-based classroom activities, and classroom management beliefs) are related to students’ academic achievement in JSC Mathematics. In particular, a linear combination of the following variables had a significant and positive association with students’ academic achievement in JSC Mathematics: teachers’ major in Mathematics (teachers’ inputs); teachers’ usage of whole class discussion (standards-based classroom activities); perceived knowledge of algebra; teachers’ professional development in interdisciplinary instruction; teachers’ review of students’ homework/assignments; and students talking to other students about how to solve mathematics problems. Teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in general, and some classroom practices were not significantly related to students’ academic achievements. This study, therefore, recommends that teachers’ professional development should focus on the subject matter that the teachers will be teaching, as well as alignment of teachers’ learning opportunities with real work experience using actual curriculum materials and assessment. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

This study explored the link between teachers’ inputs and process and students’ academic achievement in Junior Secondary Certificate (JSC) Mathematics for the period 2006 to 2010.The outcome (teacher effectiveness) was obtained by means of value added measures (students’ aggregate JSC Mathematics scores for 2006 to 2010 by school). One hundred and fifty JSC schools out of a total of 573 constituted the units of analysis for the study. The data regarding teachers were obtained by means of self-administered questionnaires, and JSC Mathematics results from 2006 to 2010 were obtained from the Directorate of National Examinations and Assessment (DNEA). Multi-correlation and regression techniques at alpha =0.001; 0.05 and 0.10 were used to analyse the link between teachers’ inputs and processes, and students’ academic achievement in JSC Mathematics. The null hypotheses formulated for the study were tested at the 0.05 (5%) level of significance. In summary, it appears that the various aspects of teachers’ inputs (teachers’ educational qualifications, teaching experience, subject specialisation etc.), processes (standards-based professional development, standards-based classroom activities, and classroom management beliefs) are related to students’ academic achievement in JSC Mathematics. In particular, a linear combination of the following variables had a significant and positive association with students’ academic achievement in JSC Mathematics: teachers’ major in Mathematics (teachers’ inputs); teachers’ usage of whole class discussion (standards-based classroom activities); perceived knowledge of algebra; teachers’ professional development in interdisciplinary instruction; teachers’ review of students’ homework/assignments; and students talking to other students about how to solve mathematics problems. Teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in general, and some classroom practices were not significantly related to students’ academic achievements. This study, therefore, recommends that teachers’ professional development should focus on the subject matter that the teachers will be teaching, as well as alignment of teachers’ learning opportunities with real work experience using actual curriculum materials and assessment. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)