A Strategy for Preparing Mathematics Teachers to Integrate ICT in Teaching with Reference to the TPACK Framework

Abstract

Education aims at helping the person and society for better life that satisfies their needs. The teacher is one of the effective factors for achieving the goals of education if s\he was qualified and trained in a proper way. There are a lot of problems in the era of technology that face benefit from using ICT in education. The study aimed at the proper ways to qualify mathematics teachers to use ICT through TPACK framework (focuses on the integration of three forms of knowledge: Technological (TK), Pedagogical (PK), and Content (CK) knowledge). The study focused on three major components: knowledge and skills needed according to TPACK framework; preparing environment that helps in acquiring knowledge and skills; and preparing policy that participates in improving teachers' self development after graduation, this policy also helps in developing a qualifying programme to cope continuously with the evolving technology. A plan was made to collect data through implementing workshops on ICT for teaching mathematics. The plan was concerned with collecting data from those who were associated with teacher preparation. The study population consisted of teachers of mathematics (from education colleges, colleges of science, and secondary schools), teachers of computer subjects at colleges of computer science, and graduates of colleges of education (Mathematics). The research population included the makers and implementers of decision in colleges of education: deans, heads of mathematics departments, and members of programme development committees for qualifying mathematics teachers. In spite of the difficulties that faced the study, sufficient valuable data which could participate effectively in finding a strategy to qualify mathematics teachers through TPACK framework. The most important results are: Providing students teachers with knowledge and skills (in all seven aspects of TPACK framework) is based on types and depth which at least make them able to use the available ICT in teaching, and to identify intelligent and talented students teachers who are able to invent new tools and methods; the availability of infrastructure that helps in achieving these knowledge and skills for students teachers; and the policy needed to develop knowledge and skills as such as the needs for upgrading infrastructure periodically to cope with the rapidly changing technology. Based on the study results the researcher recommends: making use of the results in preparing a programme of preparing mathematics teachers to enable them to benefit from using ICT in their teaching which would help in achieving educational aims; adapting the results of the study to fit the programme of preparing teachers of other disciplines (i.e. Chemistry, Physics, Language, or History…); and benefiting from the results in providing the suitable teaching environments for colleges of education and teaching institutes. For further studies the thesis proposes a programme (describe the courses and their syllabi) for developing mathematics teachers able to benefit from using ICT in their teaching according to TPACK framework; strategy for assessing and evaluating the graduates of colleges of education; and to propose of model college of education.