Date of Award

May 2021

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Urban Education

First Advisor

Elizabeth Drame

Committee Members

Bo Zhang, Leigh van den Kieboom, Sara Jozwik

Keywords

In-Service Elementary Teachers, Instructional Practices, Math Anxiety, Math Teaching Self-Efficacy, Virtual Mathematics Instruction

Abstract

Mathematics Anxiety (MA) and Mathematics Teaching Self-Efficacy (MTSE) have been reported as factors related to teachers’ mathematics instruction. This study investigated MA and MTSE in in-service elementary teachers’ virtual mathematics instruction. A comparative case study design was used to understand the relationship between MA, MTSE, and their virtual mathematics instructional practices. Two in-service elementary teachers from an urban public charter school district in a large metropolitan city in the Midwest participated. I employed qualitative methods to examine the results from the Abbreviated Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (AMAS), an adapted version of a researcher-developed instrument called the Mathematics Teaching and Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale (MTMSE), interviews, teacher classroom observations, post-observation interviews, and a fraction simulation task to learn how teachers approached virtual mathematics instruction. Results indicated the in-service elementary teachers had low to moderate MA and high MTSE when teaching elementary mathematics concepts. However, if they were to have taught higher-level mathematics concepts, then they would have high MA and low MTSE. The in-service elementary teachers who had low to moderate MA and high MTSE heavily relied on direct instructional practices with a focus on procedural strategies. Also, these teachers experienced many challenges teaching mathematics in a virtual environment. Findings from this comparative case study have implications for teacher preparation programs, mathematics teaching professional development for in-service elementary teachers transitioning virtual mathematics pedagogy, improving mathematics performance for students, and assisting educational stakeholders in improving mathematics instruction.

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