Using the Contextualized Interaction Model to examine changes in teacher beliefs

With the increased importance placed on the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields throughout the world but particularly in the United States, research in mathematics education has become widely recognized as critical to efforts to improve the ability of U. S. students to compete in a global market. A key focus of this movement has included efforts to improve the teaching of mathematics. Unfortunately, changes in teachers' practices have been slow to evolve. Researchers have found that teachers' beliefs are a critical barrier to enacting change. Though the relationship between teacher beliefs and practices has been studied since the early 80's, a consistent and encompassing model for the interaction between teachers' beliefs and practices has not emerged. This paper presents a proposed model of teacher change, the Contextualized Interaction Model, and the findings of a multiple case study which utilized the model to examine the changes in the beliefs of three elementary teachers engaged in a professional development program. The proposed model was found to accurately include the various factors which appear to interact with teacher beliefs though it was altered to include the impact of the curriculum as a key factor. The various contextual factors represented by the proposed model were found to profoundly impact the alignment between teachers' beliefs and practices.