Professional development
5.10 Conclusion
The aim of my study was to explore the contributions made by the Advanced Certificate of Education in Mathematical Literacy program towards the participating teacher’s professional development and how the professional development of the teachers’ who studied the Advanced Certificate of Education in Mathematical Literacy was enhanced.
My study revealed the following:
Teachers who had completed the ACEML programed had benefited tremendously through the program. Many were once teachers who taught subjects that were becoming either non- existent, or there were too many teachers teaching it, or they were bored of teaching it. Hence they realised that a change in subject especially one that was new, and where there was a shortage of teachers would be a challenge for them, as well as a new learning experience.
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Indeed it was, since those teachers who completed the program reported a development of new content knowledge, pedagogic content knowledge, confidence, and a change in identity and beliefs.
In terms of content knowledge they had learnt new knowledge as well as being able to determine the content from within the context. Most of all they were able to develop their own contexts out of real life problems. They also learnt how to draw up assessments and tasks for the learners. In terms of pedagogic content knowledge teachers were overwhelmed by the different and new strategies that they were equipped with in the ACEML program. By working together in the NMMU and the UKZN community of practice they learnt to work as a team, to work in groups, using different strategies to cope with different cultures of learners and skills in handling different contextual problems. The teachers’ fear of teaching ml disappeared as their knowledge expanded and they saw themselves as experts in the field of ml .They got new meaning to their career of teaching, as they learnt new content knowledge and pedagogic content knowledge, and they saw a transformation in their beliefs and identities which in turn was reflected in their confidence. Lave and Wenger’s theory of a meaning, community, practice and identity is clearly a focal point in the ACEML program.
They drew ideas from their peers and their tutors and took back these skills to their own classrooms. As the teacher participated increasingly in practices and various processes of doing, talking, interpreting, thinking etc., he/she made sense of the new curriculum and the content knowledge, then this whole process of accumulation of knowledge became meaningful and productive
The ACEML program seemed to have rejuvenated the life of the teachers and changed their beliefs and identity. Through the ACEML program they took ownership of the subject ML.
They had become confident with their new content knowledge and the pedagogic content knowledge that they had learnt in the ACEML program. They had emerged from the program as transformed teachers. The ML teachers were given recognition by the school and many were promoted to head of department, or subject advisors. Their role as leaders of a community of practising ML teachers became evident. Teachers of ML are now in fact recognised as professionals and all the teachers who had gone through the program left the program feeling that they are the only ones who can teach the subject successfully. The teachers have even joined professional bodies like AMESA and participate in the activities of this body. The teachers also felt that they have become technologically advanced since many of them had not even used a computer previously and are now capable of using internet.
Networking through research projects has enabled them to be computer literate. The teachers also emerged as innovative teachers since they could even handle misconceptions of their learners and design lessons to eradicate these misconceptions.
The schools are now resourced with qualified ML teachers who are equipped with sufficient content knowledge and pedagogic content knowledge in the newly introduced subject. The teachers who studied the program came back to school with a renewed spirit of enthusiasm, feeling energised and filled with optimism which proved very encouraging and uplifting. The dedication and commitment of the teachers who had completed the ACEML program was strong since they were eager to practice and share what they had studied at the program and also wanted their learners to enjoy their lessons the way they had. Both the UKZN and the NMMU curriculum consisted of material that encompassed grade ten, eleven and twelve work. The task designs and assessment strategies leant in the ACEML program enabled
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participants to become confident in their tasks at school. So going back and teaching what the teachers had learnt was highly successful for both the teachers and the school. Through the activities and participation of the teachers with professional bodies the school also becomes recognised both locally and globally. Schools have more teachers who have become technologically advanced in terms of the use of the computer since the program also developed teacher skills in the use of the computer for assessments and projects.
The DoE had spent a lot of money to implement the program in each province through funding of bursaries to one teacher in each school. Although many teachers dropped out of the program, the department was very successful with the ones who stayed on and completed the course. The department was now resourced with qualified ml teachers, enhancing service delivery in terms of teacher resources. Its aim is to enable “learners to develop the ability and confidence to think numerically and spatially in order to interpret and critically analyse and solve problems” has been very fruitful. The ACEML program is seen as the initiator of professional development within the post-apartheid period in South Africa. It serves as a stimulus for an on-going series of workshops and teacher development programs that would build up teacher content knowledge, pedagogical skills and confidence boosters and strengthen the quality of teaching and learning in the country.
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