The Effect of Blended Learning in Preservice Elementary Mathematics Teachers' Performance and Attitude
Year: 2019
Type: dissertation
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: Since teachers' attitudes toward mathematics influence both their instructional methodologies (Philipp, 2007) and their students' attitudes toward mathematics (Hofer & Pintrich, 1997; Buehl, Alexander, & Murphy, 2002), it is important to pursue innovative practices to increase preservice teachers' mathematics skills and confidence. Blended learning has the potential to play a critical role in transforming America's classrooms (Bonk, Kim, & Zeng, 2004). A pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study involving 63 college students enrolled in an elementary education teacher program investigated whether blended learning in their required mathematics content course significantly improved mathematical achievement and attitudes towards mathematics. Students were assigned to one of two sections: either traditional face-to-face instruction or blended learning, flex model, based on course enrollment date. The first research question was quantitative: to determine the effects of blended learning on preservice mathematics teachers' performance and attitudes using a two-way analysis of covariance with pretest scores as the covariate. The second research question, which was specific to the preservice teachers in the blended learning condition, was both quantitative and qualitative and asked what specific features preservice teachers noted as helpful or not to their learning of mathematics through the use of a post-course questionnaire. In regard to the first research question, preservice teachers' attitudes in mathematics improved in blended learning classes, but there was no difference in teachers' mathematics performance levels across the two conditions. In regard to the second research question, teachers prioritized flexibility of course structure and control over pace of instruction as their two most preferred features of blended learning. Additionally, four prevailing themes emerged from the qualitative data of the participants' open-ended responses: (1) control over environment, pace, and dosage, (2) time management, (3) teacher presence, and (4) familiarity with different learning environments. These findings suggest important revisions regarding post-secondary mathematics teaching methods to students studying elementary mathematics education.
Source: Lehigh Preserve
Author: Kristin Elizabeth Yudt
Language: English
Topic: Online and Blended Learning
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
Funder: Lehigh University
OpenAlex ID: W7132987888