An investigative study of a methodology to diagnose pre-algebra mathematics teaching competencies

Effort was made to identify teaching competencies of value to the pre-algebra mathematics teacher, to construct a teaching competencies diagnostic inventory based on pre-algebra mathematics teaching competencies selected from those identified, to determine if such a diagnostic inventory could be validated using student observations on an instrument similar to the diagnostic inventory, and to investigate the responses on the two inventories using correlational analysis and factor analysis. Nine educators involved in the in-service and pre-service education of pre-algebra mathematics teachers identified 28 competencies of particular value to the pre-algebra mathematics teacher. From this list of competencies, 10 competencies were selected for use in the study. The teacher diagnostic inventory is composed of teaching situation descriptors and personal data items. The teacher is asked to indicate how closely his classroom behavior is described by the situation description. The student inventory consists of situations similar to those described in the teacher inventory and personal data items regarding the students' sex and selected attitudes. The student is asked to indicate his perception of his teacher1s behavior in each situation described. The teacher diagnostic inventory was distributed to a sample of pre-algebra mathematics teachers employed in 28 schools located in southeastern Oklahoma. Copies of the student inventory were distributed by each participating teacher to the students in one of his pre-algebra mathematics classes. Based on the analyses of the responses of 73 teachers and 1602 students, it was concluded that the teacher's responses could not be validated using the students' observations. Factor analytic studies of the teacher responses and the student responses revealed the presence of eight factors among the teacher inventory items and the presence of six factors among the student inventory items. These factors were identified according to the items with loadings of .35 and more on each factor. A discussion of the relationships between the item scores and responses and the factors contained in the two inventories is included.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Instructional Supervision

Department dc:contributor.department

Instructional Supervision

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1975

Author dc:creator

• Campbell, Noma Jo

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Todd, Robert M.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Schoen, H. L.
• Weber, Larry J.
• Frary, Robert B.
• Salmon, Richard G.
• Brazier, Gerald D.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-07212010-020507

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/38823