Session Information
10 SES 02 C, Pre-service Teachers' Reflections and Learning
Paper Session
Contribution
Pre-service early childhood (EC) teachers’ epistemic beliefs in the domain of mathematics (application-related beliefs, process-related beliefs, static orientation), enjoyment of mathematics, mathematics anxiety, mathematical content knowledge (MCK) and mathematics pedagogical content knowledge (MPCK) have been extensively investigated using a variable-centred approach (Björklund et al., 2020). Pre-service EC teachers’ knowledge, emotions, and beliefs are inherent parts of their professional competence and their development (Dunekacke et al., 2022). Understanding pre-service teachers as learners during their teacher education (Jenßen et al., 2021), the relationship between these dispositions can be conceptualized in terms of control-value theory (Pekrun, 2006). This well-established theory describes the relationship between achievement in a specific domain and emotions as a function of learners’ control and value appraisals regarding learning and achievement situations. These appraisals can be seen as self-related cognitive evaluations that mediate between situations or domains and emotions (Pekrun, 2006). For example, control appraisals refer to an individual’s evaluation of whether they can affect a specific situation. This might go hand in hand with the individual’s subjective perception of how static or flexible the domain in which the situation is located is. Conversely, value appraisals represent how valuable or how important the situation or domain is, for example for the individual themself or for others. For example, domains with a huge importance for daily working life are seen as very valuable for individuals. Control and value appraisals determine specific emotional experiences, which in turn affect achievement in specific situations. Pleasant emotions such as enjoyment are positively associated with achievement, for example because they enhance elaborative learning, while unpleasant emotions such as anxiety lower achievement, for example due to reduced self-regulation.
Applying this to the context of pre-service EC teachers’ learning during their teacher education, beliefs can be seen as generalized appraisals regarding a specific domain such as mathematics. Additionally, pre-service teachers’ achievement in a specific domain captures their acquisition of specific knowledge in this domain over the course of teacher education.
There is a growing body of studies investigating the complex relationships between beliefs, emotions, and achievement in greater detail using a person-centred approcah (Rosmann & Mayer, 2018; Muis et al., 2015). These approaches can identify similarities and differences between persons with respect to the levels of variables (quantitative differences) as well as the shape of relations (qualitative differences) (Ferguson et al., 2020; Marsh et al., 2009). This could be useful for both research and practice, for example regarding diagnostic issues (Marsh et al., 2009). Nevertheless, the relationships between pre-service EC teachers’ beliefs, emotions, and achievement have only been investigated separately, and only one study applied a person-centered approach, modelling EC teachers’ MPCK and skills (Im & Choi, 2020). However, from a practical point of view, it seems plausible to assume qualitative differences in this context. For instance, it is feasible that some pre-service EC teachers are more capable of reflecting on their anxiety or differ from others regarding its regulation, with specific effects on the acquisition of knowledge, while some others may not succeed in doing so.
To investigate person-centered differences regarding the complex relationship, we applied assumptions from control-value theory (Pekrun, 2006) to the context of pre-service EC teachers’ mathematics education. We investigated the following research questions:
(1) Are there different profiles of pre-service EC teachers with respect to the relations between math-related beliefs (application-related beliefs, process-related beliefs, static orientation), emotions (enjoyment of mathematics, math anxiety), and knowledge (MCK, MPCK) when these are applied in a path model?
(2) If there are more than two profiles, can they be reasonably interpreted in terms of qualitative differences that justify the added value of person-centered approaches?
Method
Sample and Procedure The present study is based on data from n = 1,851 pre-service EC teachers from Germany. The participants were mostly female (85.6%) and their average age was M = 23 years (SD = 5). Data collection took place during regular instruction time in the teacher education institutions. All tests and questionnaires were administered as paper-pencil assessments. Instruments Epistemological beliefs about the nature of mathematics were assessed with well-established scales that have also been applied to EC teachers (Dunekacke et al., 2016). The scales capture application-related beliefs with six items (e.g., “Mathematics is helpful for solving everyday problems and tasks.”), process-related beliefs with four items (e.g., “Mathematics is an activity involving thinking about problems and gaining insight.”) as well as static orientation with four items (e.g., “Mathematics demands mainly formal accuracy.”). All items were answered on a 6-point scale and achieved a good reliability (Cronbach’s α between .80 and .85). Enjoyment of mathematics was captured reliably (Cronbach’s α = .89) with four items (e.g., “Mathematics is enjoyable.”) (Jenßen et al., 2021). The items were answered on the same 6-point scale as the items capturing beliefs. Anxiety was assessed with a reliable scale (Cronbach’s α = .89) consisting of four items that have also been applied to pre-service EC teacher (e.g., “I get very nervous doing mathematics problems”) (Jenßen et al., 2021). Pre-service EC teachers’ knowledge was assessed with the standardized KomMa tests (Blömeke et al., 2017). The test scores can be used to draw valid conclusions regarding content of the test, in terms of the construct and regarding EC teacher education in Germany. The MCK test consists of 24 items covering various mathematical content areas (numbers, geometry, quantity and relations, data). MPCK was measured with 28 items addressing mathematical learning in formal and informal settings and how to diagnose children’s mathematical competence. All tests achieved good reliability (RelMPCK = .87, RelMCK = .88). Data Analysis To answer our research question, we carried out latent profile analysis (LPA) with Mplus 8.2 following the guidelines given by Ferguson and colleagues (2020). As recommended, we first estimated a series of plausible LPA models, beginning with a one-profile solution and ending with a three-profile solution. To determine model fit and interpretability, we evaluated the solutions using AIC and BIC (Ferguson et al., 2020). Furthermore, we used the Lo-Mendell-Rubin likelihood ratio test (LMR LRT) to evaluate model fit (Nylund et al., 2007).
Expected Outcomes
AIC and BIC decreased as the number of latent profiles increased and there was a major leap between a one- and a two-profile solution. Entropy suggested a two-profile solution. We additionally applied LMR LRT to validate the appropriate number of latent profiles. The results also indicated preferring the two-profile solution compared to the one- or a three-profile solution (p < .001). We therefore selected the two-profile solution for further interpretation. In Profile 1 higher levels of application-related beliefs go in line with lower levels of anxiety and higher levels of knowledge. We propose calling this profile the dynamic learning Profile. In Profile 2 higher levels of static orientation go in line with lower levels of enjoyment and higher levels of anxiety, but also with higher levels of knowledge. We propose calling this profile the static learning Profile. The results indicate two pathways for learning, with implications for research and practice. In terms of research, the results are interesting with regard to static orientation and show the need for further research. With respect to practice, they indicate the need to respect individual differences even during teacher education. For participants in the dynamic learning Profile, application-related beliefs play a crucial role, which could potentially function as a resource-based starting point that can be addressed by teacher educators or providers of professional development. For participants in the static orientation learning Profile, a static orientation is beneficial and inhibiting at the same time. Teacher educators should hold that in mind and carefully address a static orientation, for example by not disparaging the use of algorithms. However, since persons in the static orientation learning Profile would also benefit from addressing their enjoyment of mathematics in terms of MPCK, it might be useful to talk about pleasant emotional experiences and connect them to beliefs and knowledge.
References
Björklund, C., van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, M., & Kullberg, A. (2020). Research on early childhood mathematics teaching and learning. ZDM, 52, 607-619. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-020-01177-3 Blömeke, S., Jenßen, L., Grassmann, M., Dunekacke, S. & Wedekind, H. (2017). Process mediates structure: The relation between preschool teacher education and preschool teachers’ knowledge. Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(3), 338–354. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000147 Dunekacke, S., Jegodtka, A., Eilerts, K., Koinzer, T., & Jenßen, L. (2022). Early childhood teachers’ professional competence in mathematics. Routledge. Dunekacke, S., Jenßen, L., Eilerts, K. & Blömeke, S. (2016). Epistemological beliefs of prospective preschool teachers and their relation to knowledge, perception, and planning abilities in the field of mathematics: A process model. ZDM, 48(1-2), 125–137. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-015-0711-6 Ferguson, S. L., G. Moore, E. W. & Hull, D. M. (2020). Finding latent groups in observed data: A primer on latent profile analysis in Mplus for applied researchers. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 44(5), 458–468. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025419881721 Im, H. & Choi, J. (2020). Latent profiles of korean preschool teachers three facets of pedagogical content knowledge in early mathematics. Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association, 14(2), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.17206/apjrece.2020.14.2.1 Jenßen, L., Eid, M., Szczesny, M., Eilerts, K. & Blömeke, S. (2021). Development of early childhood teachers’ knowledge and emotions in mathematics during transition from teacher training to practice. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113(8), 1628-1644. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000518 Marsh, H. W., Lüdtke, O., Trautwein, U. & Morin, A. J. S. (2009). Classical latent profile analysis of academic self-concept dimensions: Synergy of person- and variable-centered approaches to theoretical models of self-concept. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 16(2), 191–225. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705510902751010 Muis, K. R., Pekrun, R., Sinatra, G. M., Azevedo, R., Trevors, G., Meier, E. & Heddy, B. C. (2015). The curious case of climate change: Testing a theoretical model of epistemic beliefs, epistemic emotions, and complex learning. Learning and Instruction, 39, 168–183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2015.06.003 Nylund, K. L., Asparouhov, T. & Muthén, B. O. (2007). Deciding on the number of classes in latent class analysis and growth mixture modeling: A Monte Carlo simulation study. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 14(4), 535–569. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705510701575396 Pekrun, R. (2006). The control-value theory of achievement emotions: Assumptions, corollaries, and implications for educational research and practice. Educational Psychology Review, 18(4), 315–341. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-006-9029-9 Rosman, T. & Mayer, A. K. (2018). Epistemic beliefs as predictors of epistemic emotions: Extending a theoretical model. The British Journal of Educational Psychology, 88(3), 410–427. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12191
Search the ECER Programme
- Search for keywords and phrases in "Text Search"
- Restrict in which part of the abstracts to search in "Where to search"
- Search for authors and in the respective field.
- For planning your conference attendance you may want to use the conference app, which will be issued some weeks before the conference
- If you are a session chair, best look up your chairing duties in the conference system (Conftool) or the app.