Rethinking teacher preparation: Conceptualizing skills and knowledge of novice teachers of secondary mathematics

This dissertation examines the extent to which novice secondary mathematics teachers (licensed and currently teaching in Utah) perceive they are prepared to do the work of teaching secondary mathematics. It first examined if novice secondary mathematics teachers' perceptions of their knowledge and skills of doing their work fell into four conceptualized domains: pedagogical knowledge, mathematical knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and curricular knowledge. Then it examined the extent to which novice teachers felt prepared do their work and where they perceived they gained their skills (in college or outside of college). Finally, it examined if novice teachers from different preparation programs in Utah reported a difference in their perceptions of preparedness. An exploratory factor analysis of the survey instrument used for the research indicated that novice teacher perceptions of their knowledge and skills did indeed fall into the four conceptualized domains. Analysis of the data also revealed that novice teachers felt most prepared in the domain of mathematical knowledge and least in the domain of pedagogical knowledge, with their perceptions of preparedness in the domains of pedagogical content knowledge and curricular knowledge between mathematical and pedagogical knowledge. Teachers also reported that they gained their mathematical and pedagogical knowledge both in and out of college, but that they gained their pedagogical content knowledge and curricular knowledge primarily outside of college. Novice teachers in the sample did not report a difference in their perceptions of preparedness in any of the domains by institution in which they were prepared. Findings from the study point to a need to rethink teacher preparation in secondary mathematics.