Abstract:
Teachers substantially impact the learning process and play an important role in
learners’ mathematics achievement. Teacher professional development is essential
for transforming classroom practices and enhancing learners’ academic outcomes.
This study aimed to determine how teachers’ professional development relates to
learner achievement in mathematics. Two theoretical frameworks guided this
investigation: Guskey’s (2002) model of teacher change, which posits that teachers’
beliefs and attitudes change after they modify their practices and observe positive
results in learner learning, and Loucks-Horsley et al.’s (2010) design framework for
professional development. This design framework encompasses a cyclical planning
process that starts with teachers’ commitment to improving teaching and learning,
resulting in the identification of disparities between current practices and the new
curriculum’s aspirational mathematical instruction. Secondary data analysis was
conducted using the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)
2019 Grade 5 mathematics data. A positivist paradigm and a deductive approach
were implemented, which align with the quantitative research method. Multi-level
modelling was used to analyse data from home, learner, teacher, and school
questionnaires completed by parents, learners, teachers, and principals, as well as
TIMSS mathematics achievement scores. Learners of teachers who indicated they
felt they needed future professional development in mathematics
pedagogy/instruction performed significantly lower than those who didn’t express this
need. The results also demonstrated the importance of teachers’ receiving
professional development, as learners performed significantly better when given
clear instructions. This study contributes to the body of knowledge and informs
policymakers of the benefits of encouraging teacher development.
