Page 118 - Children’s mathematical development and learning needs in perspective of teachers’ use of dynamic math interviews

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Chapter 4
mathematics teaching in elementary schools (e.g., Jacob et al., 2017). However, the effects of professional development about dynamic math interviews on teachers’ mathematics teaching behavior and perceived mathematics teaching self-efficacy and mathematical knowledge for teaching, have not yet been studied.
The present study
Dynamic math interviews may be a promising tool in the development of mathematics teaching skills. However, the direct link between teacher professional development focused on dynamic math interviews and successful, interactive teacher-child interviews is not clear. We still do not know if dynamic math interviews actually improve mathematics teaching ability. Therefore, the current study examines the extent to which teachers can be trained to give teacher-child dynamic math interviews that help identify the math learning needs of fourth grade children in the Netherlands. The study also explores whether these interviews can improve mathematics teaching. This intervention study was designed to answer the following questions:
1. What is the effect of a teacher professional development program in teacher-child dynamic math interviewing on the quality of the dynamic math interviews with fourth grade children?
2. What is the effect of teacher-child dynamic math interviews on factors of mathematics teaching (teaching behavior, self- efficacy, and mathematical knowledge for teaching)?
To answer the first question, 23 fourth grade teachers were enrolled in a teacher professional development program focused on knowledge and skills related to dynamic math interviewing. The program was followed by a practice period focusing on the ability to use dynamic math interviews to identify children’s educational needs when learning mathematics. We expected that the professional development program, based on effective characteristics of teacher professional development, would have a positive effect on the quality of dynamic math interviews.
To answer the second research question, teacher factors were measured on four occasions. Three baseline measurements were