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Mathematics teachers' pedagogical knowledge and implementation of computers
Author
Liew, Kwai Yoke
Supervisor
Mendoza, Lionel Pereira
Abstract
This study investigated how Singapore secondary school mathematics teachers acquired their pedagogical computer knowledge. The Singapore government has recognised the importance of integrating computers into the school curriculum and has set a target to fully train the current teaching force to be equipped with the necessary IT skills by the year 2002 (Masterplan, 1997).
This research is a case study of a group of secondary school mathematics teachers in a neighbourhood school. A questionnaire was employed to gather information on how teachers acquired their pedagogical computer knowledge and how computer technology was used in their classrooms. Structured interviews were conducted with every participating teacher to obtain further information, to help identify factors that affect the use of computers in the school.
The survey found that teachers acquired their pedagogical computer knowledge from various sources, and in particular, they found in-service training courses and sharing ideas among teaching colleagues to be most useful. The study showed that computer use in school is limited, computers were mainly used for demonstrations by teachers, while students rarely had an opportunity to use them. Various factors that hinder wider use of computers were explored. These factors included the lack of lesson preparation time, a tight curriculum that discourages teachers to practise different teaching styles and unfamiliarity with mathematics software, and these had prevented some teachers from using computers regularly in their mathematics teaching. This study also attempted to investigate the relationship between teachers' pedagogical computer knowledge and their classroom practice. There was a straightforward relationship between teachers' pedagogical computer knowledge and their classroom practice. Teachers' classroom practice, styles of delivery and use of computers were linked to their pedagogical computer knowledge. However, their pedagogical computer knowledge was more extensive than their classroom practice.
This research is a case study of a group of secondary school mathematics teachers in a neighbourhood school. A questionnaire was employed to gather information on how teachers acquired their pedagogical computer knowledge and how computer technology was used in their classrooms. Structured interviews were conducted with every participating teacher to obtain further information, to help identify factors that affect the use of computers in the school.
The survey found that teachers acquired their pedagogical computer knowledge from various sources, and in particular, they found in-service training courses and sharing ideas among teaching colleagues to be most useful. The study showed that computer use in school is limited, computers were mainly used for demonstrations by teachers, while students rarely had an opportunity to use them. Various factors that hinder wider use of computers were explored. These factors included the lack of lesson preparation time, a tight curriculum that discourages teachers to practise different teaching styles and unfamiliarity with mathematics software, and these had prevented some teachers from using computers regularly in their mathematics teaching. This study also attempted to investigate the relationship between teachers' pedagogical computer knowledge and their classroom practice. There was a straightforward relationship between teachers' pedagogical computer knowledge and their classroom practice. Teachers' classroom practice, styles of delivery and use of computers were linked to their pedagogical computer knowledge. However, their pedagogical computer knowledge was more extensive than their classroom practice.
Date Issued
2001
Call Number
QA20.C65 Lie
Date Submitted
2001