Abstract

The current education system aimed to train active deliberative individuals who learn to learn with the adoption of the constructivist educational approach. Based on this objective, there have been significant changes in the roles of teachers. To assist the development of teachers, the Ministry of Education organizes several in-service training activities every year. The present study aimed to assess an in-service training activity organized by the Ministry for mathematics teachers based on the teacher views. The study was a case study, which is a qualitative research model. The study group consists of 12 junior high school mathematics teachers who were selected by sampling method from approximately sixty junior high school mathematics teachers who participated in the activity. A semi-structured interview form was used to collect data in the study. The present study scrutinized the expectations, experiences during the process and recommendations of the teachers about the in-service training activity they participated in, and obtained qualitative data obtained were analyzed with the descriptive analysis method. Study findings demonstrated that participating teachers mostly participated in the activity to "learn different teaching methods and techniques". Since the training activity was a "special instructional methods and techniques-mathematics" seminar, the aforementioned expectation was a priority for the teachers. Almost all participants stated that the most positive aspect of the training they attended was "to exchange information with their colleagues.” Furthermore, certain teachers participating in the seminar stated that they refreshed their knowledge in the process, while others mentioned that they learned new information.

Key words: Mathematics teachers, in-service training, instructional methods and techniques, constructivism.