Middle School Mathematics Achievement: Effects of Math Teacher Professional Development

Middle School Mathematics Achievement: Effects Of Teacher Professional Development

The United States has become increasingly concerned about future workforces, so much so that from 2009 onward, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has been a major focus of the U.S. federal administration’s plans for secondary education. STEM education in K-12 involves the inclusion of technology and engineering in math and science academic programs. Specifically, technology develops skills and abilities in adaptability, complex communication, non-routine problem solving, and systems thinking to “shape our material, intellectual, and cultural world” (Bybee, 2010, p. 31; see also Morgan & Morgan, 2013). These skills and abilities are of primary concern to the team responsible for this research endeavor.

The utilization of curriculum as one of the primary components that prepare students for future workforces in STEM is undoubtedly an effective approach to introduce students to the skills and abilities needed in STEM professions. Various pedagogical approaches have been integrated in curriculum design to improve students’ mathematics skills and abilities, such as problem-based learning and reality-focused instruction (Hansen & Gonzalez, 2014; Uygun & Tertemiz, 2014; Fulton, 2012). To design reality-based curriculum, or that which is focused on realistic scenarios embedded in students’ lived experiences, contemporary disciplinary content knowledge in addition to pedagogical knowledge and teaching efficacy are necessary (Hashweh, 2009). However, reviews of student achievement data in middle school mathematics call into the question math teachers’ disciplinary content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and teaching efficacy (Phelps & Howell, 2016; Thanheiser et al., 2010).