Exploring the Impact of Formal Continuous Professional Development Activities on Foundation Phase Mathematics Teachers’ Instructional Quality
Keywords:
Teachers; Continuous professional development; Instructional quality; Foundation Phase and MathematicsAbstract
Teachers attend continuous professional development (CPD) activities for various reasons. One of the reasons is to enhance their classroom practices, that is, the instructional quality of their respective subjects. However, the teaching of mathematics in South Africa is concerning, as learners as late as Grade 3 struggle to perform basic mathematical operations. Improving teaching and learning in mathematics, therefore, seems crucial. This paper thus discusses the impact of formal CPD activities on the teaching of Foundation Phase (FP) mathematics, focusing on the instructional quality (cognitive activation and individual learning support). Utilising the COACTIV model and the interpretivist research paradigm, a qualitative case study approach was adopted, where six purposively chosen teachers were interviewed. Content analysis was employed to ensure rigorous analysis. The results show that the teachers attended predominantly formal CPD activities and were motivated to do so. It was found that the knowledge gained from the formal CPD activities is practical and helpful in adapting teaching methods, which impacts FP teachers’ instructional quality. Teaching and learning, as well as the learners’ mathematical understanding, improve. Based on the findings, teachers should be required to attend formal CPD activities frequently, and teacher motivation should be considered. Future studies should explore the impact of informal activities and should include learners. The research concludes that formal CPD activities influence the teaching of FP mathematics. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge on professional development, teacher professional development programmes, and the instructional quality of mathematics in South Africa, particularly FP mathematics.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.5.26
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