Effects of Constructivism-Based Teacher Education Program for Supporting Infant’s Mathematical Inquiry Activity on Variables Related to Infant Teacher’s Mathematics Teaching

This study helps infant teachers practice a constructivism-based teacher education program that supports infant mathematical inquiry activities and examines improvements in mathematical teaching knowledge, mathematical teaching initiatives, mathematical interaction, constructivism belief and mathematical teaching efficacy. Twenty two experiment group infant teachers and twenty two comparison group infant teachers were chosen at two workforce educare centers. The experiment group infant teachers participated in 18 sessions of a constructivism teacher training program for 8 weeks, but the comparison group infant teachers did not take part in the program. Pretest and post-tests were implemented for the mathematical teaching knowledge, mathematical teaching initiatives, mathematical interactions, constructivism belief and mathematical teaching efficacy in the experiment group. Independent sample t-test and ANCOVA were tested using Windows SPSS statistics 21.0. The homogeneity test for the experiment and comparison group revealed significant differences. ANCOVA was carried out after the pretest score was controlled as a co-variance. Significant differences were indicated in mathematical teaching knowledge, mathematical teaching initiative, mathematical interaction, constructivism belief and mathematical teaching efficacy. The results indicated that a constructivism-based teacher education program to support infant mathematical inquiry activities influenced improvements in mathematical teaching knowledge, mathematical teaching initiative, mathematical interaction, constructivism belief and mathematical teaching efficacy. This study proved the effects of the program based on constructivism theory content for the knowledge, skills and attitude about infant teaching of mathematical initiatives and practiced a program of exploration, investigation, application and assessment for infant teachers. The results can help infant teachers teach mathematical exploration activities and help activate infant mathematical exploration activities.