A Three Day Versus a Five Day Graphing Handheld Professional Development Program; and, Its Attitudinal Effect On Teachers of Mathematics

摘要

Professional development for all educators, including mathematics educators, is an important facet of their profession. It helps them to stay current and proficient. Under the aegis of The West Chester University Teachers Teaching with Technology In-service/Pre-service Professional Development Program a study was conducted using two different workshop formats to determine if one format over the other had a more significantly positive attitudinal impact on the educators. In addition, this study also showed that teacher in-service training significantly affects, in a positive direction, teachers' attitudes toward the use of graphing handhelds and other technologies in the mathematics classroom. Both five day and three day graphing calculator institutes were held. The same attitudinal survey was done both before each workshop and again at the conclusion of each workshop. The study was conducted at West Chester University of Pennsylvania and it included 63 educators, mostly mathematics teachers. This study showed that a five day institute is more effective than a three day institute and that graphing calculator institutes have a positive attitudinal affect on teachers of mathematics.