Exploring the role of the Advanced Certificate in Education Mathematical Literacy programme in developing teacher knowledge of mathematical literacy teachers in Umgungundlovu District.

Abstract

Learner performance in Mathematics has been a great challenge in South Africa. This has been due to inadequate teacher training and professional development of mathematics teachers during the apartheid era. The numbers of learners enrolling for mathematics decreases after grade 9 as many learners fail mathematics and as a result they cannot continue with the subject in grade 10. The Department of Education (DoE, 2003) decided to introduce the subject Mathematical Literacy (ML) in 2006. The challenge was that, the newly introduced subject ML was taught by teachers who specialised in other subjects, therefore there was a need to re-train them. The Advanced Certificate in Education Mathematical Literacy (ACEML) programme was introduced as a formal professional development initiative to re-train such teachers. This study examined the ACEML programme as a new initiative in enhancing professional development with regard to teacher knowledge of ML teachers. This study aimed to explore the extent to which the ACEML programme contributed to the development of teacher knowledge of ML teachers with regard to their content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and confidence. The study was located within the pragmatic paradigm and adopted a mixed method approach. The conceptual framework that underpinned this study was Shulman’s (1997) principles of teacher knowledge, and Ball, Hill and Schilling’s (2008) dimensions of teacher knowledge. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants to participate in this research study. The study was conducted in Umgungundlovu district, with teachers who teach ML and have completed the UKZN ACEML programme. Questionnaires and semi- structured interviews were used as data collection methods. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis was used in this study. The findings of this study revealed teachers’ content knowledge, PCK and confidence were developed as a result completing the ACEML programme. However, these ML teachers still require teacher support and assistance to teach some of the content topics in ML. Furthermore, ML teachers also engaged in collaborative teaching which enabled them to support each other. This study recommends that more professional development programmes which focus on the development of ML teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge need to be conducted. Secondly, ML teachers should attend more professional development workshops to collaborate in various teaching activities such as designing lesson plans, assessment tasks and sharing teaching strategies. Thirdly, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) should offer and fund more teacher development programmes. Thus, ongoing teacher professional development is necessary to maintain professionalism and enhance teacher knowledge of ML teachers.