Abstract:
Mathematics teachers' beliefs and conceptions, particularly about the nature of
mathematics and about the teaching and learning of mathematics have an impact on
the type of mathematics instruction they deliver in the classroom. This study
investigated the effect of the mathematics teachers' beliefs about mathematics on the
use of technology in classroom instruction in secondary schools in Kenya. According
to Ernest (1988), teachers' beliefs about mathematics can be categorized in three
groups thus the Instrumentalists, the Problem Solvers and the Platonists. The objective
of the study was to determine the effect of the mathematics teachers' beliefs about
mathematics on the adoption of the use of technology in mathematics instruction. This
study adopted the descriptive survey research design to investigate how teachers
subscribing to the three categories of beliefs integrated technology in their
instructional programmes. This study targeted all the four hundred and seventy eight
(478) secondary school teachers of mathematics in the larger Bungoma District. The
sample for the study was two hundred and ninety eight (298) secondary school
teachers of mathematics who attended the SMASSE In-Set training at the four in-set
centers in the district. Data was collected using a questionnaire that captured the
teachers' beliefs, the frequency of their use of new technologies in instruction, their
perception of the effect of the use of technology in mathematics instruction and the
severity of the factors that affect the use of technology in instruction. Data was
analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The descriptive statistics used
were mean, frequencies and percentages while the inferential statistic used was the
analysis of variance (Anova). The main findings of the study were that there is a
significant difference between and among the teachers in the three belief categories
regarding the use of technology in mathematics instruction and that there is a
significant difference between and among the teachers in the three belief categories in
their perception of the use of new technologies in mathematics instruction. It is
observed that since mathematics is a core subject in the school curriculum, meaningful
reforms in the subject should involve challenging the teachers' strongly held beliefs
and how they impact on classroom instructional programmes. It is also observed that
as the ministry of education seeks ways of improving the standards of education in the
country in line with the vision 2030, emphasis is being put on releasing to the job
market graduates who are adaptable to the high technological demands. The research
has established that teachers' beliefs may act as barriers towards realizing this national
goal of education. It therefore recommended that necessary professional development
be undertaken in the teacher education sector to help equip teachers with skills,
attitudes, knowledge and values that will promote integration of technology in
classroom instructional programmes.