The Future of Education
Investigating Secondary Mathematics Teachers’ Confidence Levels Using IT-Based as Teaching Aids
Ifeanyi Aleh, Alif Tech Management Ltd, Agbor Delta State (Nigeria)
Abstract
The supply of qualified secondary school mathematics teachers (SSMTs) in Nigerian schools faces persistent shortages, compounded by limited instructional resources. A strategic response includes professional learning (PL) programs targeting junior secondary (JSS 3) mathematics teachers to boost their competence in leveraging IT-based teaching aids—like interactive software, digital projectors, graphing apps, and online simulations—for senior secondary (SS1-SS3) courses. PL involves processes where teachers develop new knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors. ultimately enhancing student outcomes. This conference presentation reports findings from a pre- and post-survey of 73 SSMTs in Abuja who completed an intensive PL course focused on IT teaching aids. The survey evaluated confidence across six items related to deploying IT tools for mathematical content, with mean confidence scores analyzed using linear mixed models to assess pre-post changes by course and year level. These findings highlight the potential of targeted PL to address Nigeria's mathematics teacher competency gaps, informing scalable interventions for improved instructional quality. Results demonstrated significant confidence gains post-PL across all courses, with SS1 participants exhibiting higher levels than SS3, though no differences emerged between Mathematics Methods and Specialist Mathematics courses.
Keywords: professional learning, secondary mathematics teachers
REFERENCES
[1] Beswick, K., Anderson, J., & Hurst, C. (2016). The education and development of practicing teachers. In K. Makar et al. (Eds.), Research in Mathematics Education in Australasia 2012-2015 (pp. 329-352). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1419-2_16
[2] West, B. T., Welch, K. B., & Galecki, A. T. (2007). Linear mixed models: A practical guide using statistical software. Taylor & Francis.
[3] Wilkie, K. J. (2019). The challenge of changing teaching: Investigating the interplay of external and internal influences during professional learning with secondary mathematics teachers. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 22, 95–124. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-017-9376-0
