The purpose of this study was to develop a PCK-based teacher training program for early childhood math education in an effort to improve the attitude of early childhood teachers to math teaching, their teaching efficacy and professionalism. And it''s also meant to examine the effects of the newly developed program on the math PCK, math teaching efficacy and mathematics attitude of teachers. This study is expected to provide a good opportunity for early childhood teachers to enhance their professionalism in math education and their teaching ability, and to suggest some of the new directions for the development of in-service early childhood teacher training programs for math education.
The contents of this study were as follows:
1. Develop a PCK-based teacher training program for early childhood math education.
2. Examine the effect of the newly developed program.
Research process was literature review, a needs survey, development of PCK- based teacher training program for early childhood math education, and the effects test of the developed program. A PCK- based teacher training program for early childhood math education was developed in this way by reflecting the opinions from the experts and the teachers. In the stage of completion, the program of 12 sessions was finalized.
The PCK-based teacher training program for early childhood math education was put to use to test its effects. An experimental group that consisted of 19 members participated in the program, and a control group that consisted of 19 members didn''t. And then a comparative analysis was made to determine the effects of the program on mathematics PCK, math teaching efficacy and math attitude.
The instrument used to measure needs for this program was prepared by modifying Hong Hee-joo(2012)''s mathematics PCK inventory and questionnaires used in earlier studies(Kim Joo-yeon, 2009; Kim Hyeon-jeong, 2007; Park Ok-ja, 2008; Park Ji-young, 2009; Choi Hyeon- jeong, 2011). The instrument used to evaluate the math PCK of the early childhood teachers was Hong Hee-joo(2012)''s inventory, and the instrument used to assess their math teaching efficacy was Jeong Jeong-hee(2001)''s questionnaire that was an adapted version of Luo (2000)''s Math Teaching Efficacy Inventory. This questionnaire was utilized with some modifications. The instrument used to assess their attitude to mathematics was Hong Hee-joo(2012)''s questionnaire that adapted Smith(2000)''s inventory. This questionnaire also was utilized with some modifications.
As for data analysis, Cronbach alpha coefficients were calculated to test the reliability of the instruments, and independent-samples t-test was carried out to look for any possible differences in pretest scores between the experimental group and the control group to see whether the two groups were equivalent or not. And then ANCOVA was utilized by controlling the pretest scores of the two groups to analyze the differences in their posttest scores to measure the effects of the PCK-based teacher training program for early childhood math education.
The findings of the study were as follows: First, the PCK-based teacher training program of 12 sessions for early childhood math education was developed in response to the needs of the early childhood teachers. This program deals with the components of mathematics PCK, how to make lesson plans by taking advantage of mathematics PCK, how to conduct math activities and how to teach mathematics. And the program consists of lectures, discussion and cooperative learning.
Second, the PCK-based teacher training program for early childhood math education was effective at improving the mathematics PCK, math teaching efficacy and math attitude of the early childhood teachers.
This study is of significance in that it developed the PCK-based teacher training program for early childhood math education in order to enhance the professionalism of early childhood teachers in PCK, to positively affect their math teaching efficacy and math attitude, and ultimately to suggest some of the right directions for teacher training in early childhood math education.