Connecting Teacher Professional Development and Student Mathematics Achievement

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of Primarily Math, an inservice elementary mathematics specialist program. Primarily Math sought to augment the mathematical knowledge for teaching of kindergarten through third-grade teachers using a longitudinal multiple cohort design. Two sets of analyses were conducted. The first examined impact on teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching, attitudes toward learning mathematics, and beliefs about teaching and learning relative to a matched comparison group. Primarily Math teachers demonstrated greater knowledge for teaching Numbers and Operations and more positive attitudes toward learning mathematics, and more often endorsed student-centered beliefs about teaching and learning. The second set of analyses examined the extent to which students of three cohorts of Primarily Math teachers demonstrated more fall–spring growth in a measure of mathematics achievement relative to students of comparison-group teachers. There was a small but positive effect of participation in Primarily Math on student mathematics achievement.

On the Shoulders of Giants: Benefits of Participating in a Dialogic Professional Development Program for In-Service Teachers

“…Over the last two decades, international research on professional development has led to an understanding of the factors that contribute to high-quality and effective teacher professional development, which improves teaching and student achievement (Penuel et al, 2007;Pianta et al, 2008;Desimone, 2009;Downer et al, 2009;Higgins and Parsons, 2009;Hill et al, 2013;Knight et al, 2014Knight et al, , 2015Cordingley et al, 2015;Brown and Weber, 2016;De Naeghel et al, 2016;Jukes et al, 2017;Kutaka et al, 2017). This previous research has identified the positive impact that teacher training programs have on in-service teachers' activities.…”

“…In this context, TPD research has increased considerably and has focused on evaluating the impact that in-service TPD programs have on both teacher learning and student achievement in mathematics, language, literacy, reading, science, and arts from early childhood education onward (Downer et al, 2009;Higgins and Parsons, 2009;Brown and Weber, 2016;Caddle et al, 2016;De Naeghel et al, 2016;Jukes et al, 2017;Kutaka et al, 2017;Shernoff et al, 2017). Some of this research has further focused on the learning experiences that promote teachers with professional development programs that are based not only on best practices but also on practices that reflect their students' sociocultural context (Brown and Weber, 2016).…”

Evaluating the Effects of Professional Development on Urban Mathematics Teachers TPACK Using Confidence Intervals

“…Research has forwarded the claim that PD, in any regard, improves student mathematics achievement (Kutaka, 2017;Hill, Rowan & Ball, 2005;Telese, 2012;Bennison & Goos, 2010;Mouza, 2011). Additionally, literature substantiates the positive effects of math teachers' technology professional development on student achievement (Pape et al, 2015).…”

Reframing peer mentoring as a route for developing an educational community of practice

“…Despite the range of mathematical intervention programs that have been designed (see Dowker, 2004), limited research has specifically addressed the effects of the intervention training on the individuals undertaking the programs. One exception is a study of teachers undertaking training on the Primary Maths specialist program (Kutaka et al, 2017). The teachers reported that their peer relationships were key to their learning and engagement with the training, and prevented PEER MENTORING IN TEACHING ASSISTANTS 6 them from feeling alone.…”