The effects of professional development on the knowledge, attitudes, & anxiety of intermediate teachers of mathematics

This study examined the effects of a short-term professional development on the mathematical knowledge, anxiety, and attitudes of intermediate teachers. Participants in the control and experimental groups were pre-tested for knowledge using the eighth grade TCAP Item Sampler. Anxiety was measured through the use of Suinn and Winston's (2003) Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale-Short and two open-ended prompts. Attitudes were measured using Betz and Hackett's (1983) Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale and a researcher-created Math Strand Comfort Scale. Between pre-test and post-test, the experimental group met four times for a total of eight hours. The intervention activities were based on teacher need. Both groups were post-tested. Mixed-model ANOVAs revealed no significant difference between the groups on post-test scores of knowledge, anxiety, or attitudes.