Teachers’ Preference for Mathematics Instructional Practice and Professional Learning after Participating in an RCT Study: A Mixed Methods Study

My dissertation examines the process of knowledge transfer (KT) from an effectiveness randomized controlled trial (RCT) into daily practice, specifically whether professional development, new program content, and teacher’s characteristics influence teachers’ uptake decisions. Teacher learning as experienced in the RCT and implementation as described through teacher interviews are used to explore practice choices. My research was situated within the context of an externally funded and registered randomized control trial (#NCT02456181) involving 212 elementary school teachers that examined the effectiveness of two contrasting math programs. Research data was derived from three sources: a baseline questionnaire and mathematics measure (n=198) probing teaching-efficacy and knowledge for mathematics, a one-year post RCT survey (n=98) of teachers’ use of the mathematics programs from the RCT and semi-structured interviews (n=14) in which teachers reflected on participating in the study and mathematics instruction. During the RCT, the host school board was midway through implementing collaborative inquiry (CI) as part of a teacher professional iii learning initiative. This permitted for a comparison of contrasting teacher professional learning models. A phased mixed-method design was used for this thesis. Teachers’ learning experiences from their RCT participation were compared with interview responses to identify similarities and differences related to their training and their daily practice. These findings were then used to explain the survey uptake results. Survey results revealed a noteworthy uptake of the novel mathematics program one year after the study: 31% of teachers reported using the program as a full replacement and 26% reported using it as a resource. Measures for teacher’s mathematics knowledge (standardized math test) and teaching-efficacy for the program (self-reported questionnaire) suggested teacher competence and confidence for teaching new programs, irrespective of characteristics (e.g., education, experience, sex) or situational factors (e.g., grade level, pedagogical program). Interviewed teachers preferred experiential learning, accessing new math knowledge from peers, and autonomy in establishing pedagogical practices. The study results present teachers as capable learners of a new mathematics program, yet preferring to choose the content and approach to professional learning. These results support including teachers as equal partners in the development of any new math implementation strategies.Ph.D