Abstract
AbstractThis quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive–comparative study examined differences in middle-grade mathematics teachers’ self-reported teaching efficacy, outcome expectancy beliefs, and instructional practice patterns before and after participation in Project CALM (Coaching to Accelerate Learning in Mathematics), a content-focused professional development initiative implemented in rural regions of Idaho. Grounded in Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory and Desimone’s Core Conceptual Framework for Professional Development, the study investigated changes in mathematics teaching self-efficacy, mathematics teaching outcome expectancy, frequency of student-centered instructional practices, and frequency of teacher-directed instructional practices. The study also examined the relationship between changes in teacher belief constructs and changes in reported instructional practice patterns. Secondary survey data were analyzed from 33 matched Grades 5–9 mathematics teachers across two implementation cohorts. Pre-intervention and post-intervention measures included the Mathematics Practices–Teaching Efficacy and Expectancies Beliefs Instrument (MP-TEBI) and a frequency-based instructional practices survey. Paired-samples t-tests were conducted to examine mean differences across time, and Pearson product–moment correlations were used to assess associations among change scores. Holm–Bonferroni corrections were applied to control for familywise error. Findings indicated statistically significant changes in selected belief constructs and instructional practice variables, with effect sizes in the small-to-moderate range. Associations between changes in belief constructs and instructional practice patterns were examined to explore the theorized belief–behavior relationship. Because the study employed a one-group pretest–posttest design without a control group, findings are interpreted as observed differences and associations rather than causal effects.