TY - JOUR
T1 - Math teachers' beliefs, practices, and belief change in implementing problem based learning in Qatari primary governmental school
AU - Al Said, Ruba Samih
AU - Du, Xiangyun
AU - Al Khatib, Hadeel Abdelkarim H.M.
AU - Romanowski, Michael Henry
AU - Barham, Areej Isam Ibrahim
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 by the authors.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - This study explored math teachers' beliefs regarding their roles, practices and perceived change in implementing Problem-Based Learning in Qatar's primary government schools. Multiple sources of qualitative data were generated including metaphors, lesson plans and interviews with seventeen math teachers. Although teachers considered PBL as an effective method benefiting student learning and they demonstrated progress in changing their beliefs moving from subject to didactic dimension through PBL implementation, their practices remained partially aligned with their perceived belief changes. This discrepancy could be attributed to several encountered challenges, including teachers' insecurity and lack of confidence, difficulty in facilitating student collaboration, structural constraints, additional workload, and the lack of school and peer support. Results suggest the need for different types of "problems" and approaches such as more direct instruction, and higher feasibility in teachers' autonomy when implementing PBL in primary education.
AB - This study explored math teachers' beliefs regarding their roles, practices and perceived change in implementing Problem-Based Learning in Qatar's primary government schools. Multiple sources of qualitative data were generated including metaphors, lesson plans and interviews with seventeen math teachers. Although teachers considered PBL as an effective method benefiting student learning and they demonstrated progress in changing their beliefs moving from subject to didactic dimension through PBL implementation, their practices remained partially aligned with their perceived belief changes. This discrepancy could be attributed to several encountered challenges, including teachers' insecurity and lack of confidence, difficulty in facilitating student collaboration, structural constraints, additional workload, and the lack of school and peer support. Results suggest the need for different types of "problems" and approaches such as more direct instruction, and higher feasibility in teachers' autonomy when implementing PBL in primary education.
KW - Math classrooms
KW - Metaphors
KW - Problem-Based Learning (PBL)
KW - Qatari primary governmental schools
KW - Teachers' belief about their roles
KW - Teachers' belief change
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85063719959&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.29333/ejmste/105849
DO - 10.29333/ejmste/105849
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85063719959
SN - 1305-8215
VL - 15
JO - Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education
JF - Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education
IS - 5
M1 - em1710
ER -